Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light
by Taylor Jae
Summary: Anyone else heartbroken over the ending of Merlin? Anyone else love Arthur and Guinevere's relationship and hate that they never got a good-bye, or that they had to say good-bye at all? What would have happened if Arthur had lived? If Gwaine had lived? Would peace still reign over Camelot? What of magic? All the unanswered questions: Answered. Romantic, funny, and cute.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, guys! **

**Back with a new story, an Arthur and Guinevere one! This does not mean I'm abandoning Troy and Brie's story in any way at all, I still love them and think about them an abnormally large amount, and I still have far, far to go before their story is finished, promise. But, they're now with Arthur and Guinevere, too, because I love the show, Merlin, so, so much and hated, hated how it ended. And so I'm rewriting the ending of episode 5x13, and then going from there with how I think their lives would've been, Arthur's, Gwen's, and Merlin's, too, trying to stay as close to the show as I can, just with more Arthur/Guinevere interaction! And so here we go, with Arthur and Guinevere's love story, one of the most epic and romantic stories to date, filed with happiness, sorrow, laughter, love, and everything in between. I hope you guys love it, I'm thinking you will! Thank you as always for reading and reviewing. I have the best readers in the world. And, oh yeah, like always: I DO NOT own Merlin or Arthur or Guinevere-although I wished I owned Bradley James, he is majorly adorable! Anyway, thank you as always for reading, you guys. I hope you enjoy this story. **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 1

Arthur was going home.

With the help of Merlin, of course. He was hardly in any condition to ride his horse, and yet there he was, bobbing along as best he could, with Merlin looking back at him every few seconds. He had a right to be concerned, Merlin did, even after he saved Arthur at the lake of Avalon. It was not just his best friend who had been so very, very close to death-not that either man would say 'best friend' in reference to each other, they had too much pride for that, even Merlin!-but the king of Camelot, the man who was destined to rule over this land, unite the five kingdoms, and restore Albion to become the greatest kingdom ever to rise. When that fate was put in peril with Morgana's attack on Camlan, though, Merlin knew he, and only he, could rescue Arthur. After all, he was the one with the magic.

When he told Arthur about it, the magic, and when Arthur had rightfully shunned him-it seemed, then, that every single person in the universe was out to betray, deceive, and hurt him-Merlin had fallen into silence, thinking about the past years as Arthur's servant, saving him, and Camelot, from numerous run-ins with death and danger. Then he had sulked, feeling angry with himself, with Gaius, with everyone, wishing he could change this situation. In all the years of being by Arthur's side, he'd honestly never imagined what telling him of his magic would be like. Well, he never thought it'd happen like that! He had done this, the thinking, the sulking, the wondering, until he realized it really didn't matter at all. What mattered was helping Arthur to not, you know, die or anything. What mattered was bringing him home to Guinevere.

Really, though, one would think that after what had just happened, what with Mordred dying and Morgana dying and Arthur nearly dying, and with the battle ending with Camelot winning, you'd think Merlin would be all right with saving everyone by now. Well, he wasn't. He just was. He was a regular man with extraordinary powers. He was a man trying to help another man, Arthur, bring this land to its fullest potential, with peace paving the way for a new beginning. Sounds heroic and sort of awesome, doesn't it? Well that may very well be the case, but achieving this dream hasn't been all that easy.

That is why Arthur felt sick when he saw Morgana's men marching on Camelot, stomping through the castle. Never mind the fact that they wanted him dead. Arthur merely hated that everything he was working for, everything he'd come to believe was right in the world, good and fair and just, had been swept away, just like that, with darkness veiling the kingdom. With a false darkness veiling the kingdom, one of Morgana's, rooted in bitterness and hatred, in jealousy, in a thirst for power that had never been quenched, save with her dying breath. Arthur still felt ill over the loss of his sister, of the way she had been as a child, compassionate, kind, fair. But mostly it was because he could've saved her from the person she ended up becoming, or so he thought. He didn't know, however, that Merlin thought that too, that he shared the guilt over Morgana's demise, that he really could've done something about it, though he didn't know what.

And so, he would. He would do the right this time, even if he hadn't done so with Morgana. Merlin would rise to the occasion, as he had many, many times before, and bring Arthur home. He would bring him home to Camelot Arthur would be well. Camelot would restore itself to the place it once was. With the guidance of Arthur and Guinevere, peace would again reign over Camelot. Merlin was sure of it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, readers! **

**Thank you all SO MUCH for your reviews! They made my day! Thanks for liking this story so far, and I'm glad you liked the beginning. I was afraid it'd be too confusing; it'd be confusing to me if I had never seen Merlin before. **

**So, thanks for that, and I hope you enjoy chapter 2. And, disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or Bradley, and yes, that does make me terribly, terribly sad. **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 2

"We're here."

Merlin said it quietly, though he probably didn't have to. Arthur was looking up at what was his castle, though with dazed eyes. He looked so out of it. He was in a lot of pain. His side was killing him; he hadn't told Merlin that the five times he'd been asked, and he didn't tell him now. All Arthur cared about was getting home, though the pain made it hard to care much, even about that, honestly.

And so, when they arrived, the horse's hooves clip-clopping along the cobblestone, echoing off the regal gray stone of the castle, there was one person to greet them, the one person Arthur cared about more than anyone or anything else in the world.

Guinevere.

She came rushing at them, her red velvet dress merely a blur as she ran down the steps, her skirts swishing, nearly tripping over her own feet in a hurry to get to him, to her husband, to Arthur, the man she'd waited so long for.

The first night he hadn't come home, and they had, she and the remaining knights and civilians that were able, she'd paced and paced, her heels echoing off the castle walls, until one of the knights had told her as politely as possible to please go and get some rest. She hadn't. She'd paced and paced in her room, in their room, the place that represented much of her and Arthur's life, though the whole of Camelot pretty much did that for them, too. She had lain awake that entire night, wondering and waiting and watching for him. Several times, in a delirious state, most likely, she'd thought she'd heard his voice, only to find it was one of the knights or guards. When that happened, she calmed herself down, lain back in their bed, and waited and waited some more.

When he hadn't come home after two nights, or three or four, or five, she'd started to really panic. She knew this was the risk one took when marrying a king, let alone someone as noble and great as Arthur, but that never made her worry any less. If anything, she worried ten times more, even when she was a serving girl. Back then, she'd believed in him. Not that she didn't now, she did, but she knew there was a lot more at risk when he was king rather than a prince. His being king made him responsible for his people, this land, the legacy of his father and others before him. This caused him to doubt himself, and to have Guinevere build him up, again and always. They leaned on each other, a team, husband and wife, best friend and best friend.

And that was what made it so hard.

The wondering and the waiting. She had married for love, Arthur and Guinevere both had, and that made them a million times more valuable to each other. They were the most precious thing in each other's lives, and to fear and risk losing them every day as they did, it could wear one out. But he was here, now, finally in front of her. She could hardly believe it. She had nearly cried out when she had seen him, and instead proceeded to almost trip down the steps in her hurry towards him. When she got to him, he was already off his horse, and standing, but barely. Guinevere threw her arms around Arthur and hugged him, finally crying, finally releasing the worry and the fear and the joy and loveliness of seeing his face once more. But, Arthur? He didn't notice.

"He needs to rest, my lady", Merlin said quietly.

"Oh, of course, of course", Guinevere said then, calming herself, pulling back from the hug and wiping her eyes. She helped Arthur's right arm go around her shoulder, and Merlin did the same with Arthur's left arm, and together they led him inside.

'We need to get him to Gaius", Merlin was about to say, but Gwen already knew, and was leading them that way. When they got there, Gaius nearly cried as Guinevere had wanted to, and then promptly clear a space for Arthur to be. He was asleep again almost immediately, thanks to a sleeping draft Gaius gave him. He still wore the make-shift bandage Merlin had fashioned at the lake of Avalon, and Gaius nodded in approval at him over the top of Gwen's head. Gaius had done a few other routine things, then simply said he needed to rest and in a few days' time he'd be as good as new.

After that, the three of them remained, standing around, until Giaus got the hint from Guinevere.

"C'mon, Merlin", Gaius had said then, puling on Merlin's scarf. "Let them be." Gaius smiled at Gwen, looked down at Arthur sleeping once more, and then both of them left the room.

Once Merlin and Gaius had left, Gwen sat by Arthur, pulling over a nearby chair. She looked at him sleeping, watching the rise and fall of his chest. She wanted him to wake up again! There was so much she wanted to say, so much she wanted to ask him. But she didn't, because she couldn't. She knew he'd tell her everything all in good time anyway.

She glanced around the room, at the many books on healing and patients and tonics, thankful for a physician like Gaius, who had saved so many from Camelot, including herself and Arthur and Merlin numerous times. She was thankful for him. and Merlin, too. After all, he was one who had saved Arthur and for that she'd forever be grateful. She needed him. Gwen needed Arthur, just like Arthur needed Gwen. They needed one another and she was not about to lose him again. She looked down at him again, her sleeping husband. And she waited some more. He slept. She held his hand.

Arthur's eyes fluttered open. He peered around the room, confused. Where was he? Was the battle over? It had to be. He remembered the sorcerer, he remembered Merlin telling him of the magic...he remembered being hurt. Was he still? He felt around for the pain, for the hurt in his side from that sword of Mordred's. It was there, but dull now, a mere ache compared to what it had been the whole way home.

And then, suddenly, Guinevere.

"Arthur?" she was saying. "Arthur?"

Her face came into focus for him now. She was leaning over him, looking concerned. Arthur tried to sit up to get closer to her, and instantly regretted it. At that the pain roared through him again and so he laid back down, reaching his hand up with the little strength he had. She knew, and took his hand.

"Arthur", Guinevere said again, and at that he smiled.

"Guinevere", he said back quietly, the way he had in Ealdor back when they had gone there to hide.

"Oh, Arthur", Guinevere said now. She leaned down and hugged him, gently, and Arthur hugged her back, even though it hurt him to do so.

"I love you", he said then, and knew that he meant it, even through all the pain killers he was probably on.

"I know. I know you do", Gwen said. "Thank you for coming home to me."

"I always come home for you", he answered, and at that Gwen had smiled with tearful eyes. "When did I get home?" Arthur asked after a moment of lovely silence had passed between them.

"About five or six hours ago", Gwen replied.

"And you've been here, this whole time, sitting in this chair next to me, holding my hand."

"Yes", Guinevere replied, because she had. "Although I waited a lot longer than five hours for you. This was nothing compared to-

Her sentence trailed off when her throat closed up.

"What, Guinevere? Tell me", Arthur said now.

"It was nothing compared to the six days I waited", Gwen said, having to stop herself every few words so as not to lose it again. "You were gone for _six days_, and I didn't-I couldn't-I wasn't going to-

The tears came, fast and hot down her cheeks. She put her hands over her face to try and stop them from slipping down her cheeks.

"Guinevere", Arthur said now, trying to sit up again, trying to reach for her hand.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry", she said, wiping her eyes. "I did this to you the last time I saw you!"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't remember?" Arthur shook his head no. "You don't remember coming home?" Another head shake. "When you did, I kind of...cried all over you."

"Really."

"Yes." Guinevere nodded, her face a mix between crying and laughing. "I-I was just so relieved to see you, to see you alive and standing up and everything. I nearly tripped rushing to greet you. And when I did, I hugged you and said your name and sobbed all over you like some sappy person, in front of townspeople and everything!"

"You're not just 'some sappy person', Guinevere", Arthur said and that made them both smile.

"Well, thanks, but I'm pretty sure I was. But I don't care. You're here, you're safe, alive and well."

"I'm alive at least", Arthur said, offering a smile. "And that's better than I was, apparently, according to Merlin's jabbering all the way home."

"Really", Gwen said, hiding a smile

"Yes."

"How much pain are you in? How are you feeling?"

"I feel like death, honestly", Arthur said. "I'm happy to see you, though."

"I'm happy to see you, too", Gwen said, and with that, Arthur laid back down and was asleep again once more.

About an hour later, Merlin poked his head in the doorway to his and Gaius' chambers, where Arthur and Guinevere had been since they had returned home.

"How is he?" Merlin asked in a whisper.

"Good. He was awake, earlier", Gwen replied. "We talked. He smiled. Then he fell asleep again and that's how it's been for about the last hour or so."

"You take good care of him, Gwen", Merlin said and Gwen smiled a shy, modest smile.

"Thanks, Merlin. That means a lot, coming from the guy who saves his life all the time."

"You're the most precious thing in his life, I'm just his servant", Merlin said, making both of them laugh quietly into their hands. They could afford to laugh about it now, now that she, at least, knew the truth about the magic when Gaius had hinted at it in the days when Arthur and Merlin were missing after the battle at Camlan. But, she had known for far longer than that. She was a good secret keeper. She doubted anyone knew that.

"Thank you, Merlin", Gwen said now, seriously. "Thank you for all you do for him."

"He needs us both", Merlin said easily, smiling at her. "Without us, who knows where he'd be?"

"It's a good thing he's not awake to answer that", Gwen said, laughing again, quietly.

"Speaking of that, when he wakes again, give him this." Merlin handed Gwen a small bottle with some kind of tonic inside. "Gaius said it'll help the pain." Merlin got up then, touched Gwen lightly on the shoulder in affection, in a brotherly way. "He'll be all right, you know."

"I know", Gwen said. "We all will be."

And with that, Merlin left the room and Gwen turned again to Arthur, who slept soundly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, lovely readers! **

**Thanks again for your fab reviews for chapter two-always much appreciated! And as for larasmith's review: I know, right? Merlin and Gwen are Arthur's saving graces, he couldn't be nearly as awesome without them! And, I thought that same thing: how in the world could the writers make Arthur die, leaving Guinevere, when we hadn't even gotten to see them be married for that long? The scenes between them in season five were so very few and far between, and almost redundant, honestly, Gwen having to reassure Arthur all the time. I liked that he looked to her for guidance, I really liked that, but I found the scenes very similar when watched by themselves. We didn't even see a wedding! Or anything cute and honeymoon-ish after they first were married. I felt a bit cheated because we lost three years, plus some, throughout the series, and I think I would've been a bit more accepting of the real ending had we seen more of the show before it ended. **

**But, that's why we have this story, to erase the real ending and have a happy one! Arthur and Guinevere forever! **

**And disclaimer: I do not own Merlin, nor do I know Bradley James-although I do refer to him on a first-name basis!-and yes, that does continue to make me sad. **

**Enjoy chapter 3! **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 3

A few days later, Merlin was walking through the castle, just having checked on Arthur. Gwen was with him, as she had been pretty constantly since his arrival back in Camelot, and Merlin had tried to stay out of their way. He didn't want to belittle Gwen's relationship with Arthur in any way, although those boundaries were set pretty quickly after they'd first gotten married. Honestly, it was nice to share the responsibility with someone else! After being told countless times how linked his destiny and Arthur's were, Merlin was glad to have Gwen to help him out. And she did it willingly, he did it for destiny, for the future of Albion. Gwen did it for the pure love for Arthur. It was nice, actually, the little team the three of them had formed. Together, along with knights and the citizens of Camelot, they would usher in a new era for Albion. Together.

Later that same evening, Gwen was sitting by Arthur on the bed, while he lay in it. He had been dozing in and out of sleep, but had been awake now for the past hour or so. They had had a nice day together, with Gwen accepting any news from the knights on the state of Camelot, and bringing the news back to Arthur, who was still under Gaius' orders to rest, at least for another day or two. This did not please him. Gwen had tried to distract him by talking of other things, though both of them knew there wasn't much else to talk about but the state of Camelot. Still, Gwen had tried her best to take Arthur's mind off things he could not change, at least for the time being. They had a quiet dinner together, brought to them by Merlin, like always, and even Arthur had enjoyed it.

"This is nice, isn't it?" he said, sipping from his water goblet.

"What, the water?" Gwen replied jokingly.

"Us having dinner together. It hasn't happened for a while."

"The castle is sure quiet tonight", Gwen answered. "And I'd say that is a good thing."

"I would say that, too", Arthur said.

"See, there are some good sides to being kept in your chambers, having to rest, now, aren't there?" Gwen said, smiling.

"Now, I wouldn't go that far", Arthur said, smiling at her. "But I do have to admit, our day together was pleasant."

"It was."

They both are quiet for a while, a comfortable silence between them. Arthur reaches over and takes Gwen's hand.

"What is this for?" she asks, pleasantly surprised.

"Just because", Arthur says. "Just because I love you."

Gwen smiles at him, in that way that still manages to awe him. Even after all these years of being married, even after all these years of loving one another, she still takes his breath away.

"The thought of being without you, that was what really scared me", Arthur says then, his voice low. Gwen looks at him, lets him continue. "The battle didn't faze me, I've been in plenty of those before, but the thought of it being the end, the thought of not seeing your face after I ran out that night...I couldn't bear that."

"Every knight that was brought in for treatment during the battle, I wanted it to be you", Gwen says quietly. "I kind of imagined they were, at first, but that just made it more difficult. It was easier to go on unaffected, at best."

"When Merlin was going to bring me to the lake of Avalon, I gave Gaius the royal seal to give to you. I knew I wanted no one else but you to rule Camelot."

"I know. I cried when he gave it to me. But even as he did, and even after everyone kept saying there was no sign of you, I knew in my heart you were still alive. I knew, and no one believed me, and-

"They were fearing the worst. It's kind of their job, as knights. But I know. I kind of sensed you, with me, even at the lake. You were there, I could tell you were waiting, and wondering, back here, in Camelot."

"That's not pathetic, is it?" Gwen asks now. "It sounds awfully sad, waiting and wondering, for someone who might've not come back."

"No", Arthur said, gripping Gwen's hand tighter in affection. "No, Guinevere. It's not pathetic. It's what you do when you love someone", he said, mirroring the words they had both said to one another at one time or another.

"That's true", Gwen says, looking up at her husband, smiling at him. "What I guess _is_ pathetic is the fact that we're still talking about it. The wondering and the waiting."

"Well, that's because much of Camelot still is, still doing that same thing. We still are, very much, here, at the castle. Not all the nights are accounted for, nor some of the civilians, and-

Arthur's sentence gets cut off by Merlin rushing into the chambers.

"Merlin", Gwen says, in surprise.

"Sorry, my lady", Merlin said, bowing quickly. "But-I just came to tell you: he's back! He's back!"

"Who's back, Merlin?", Arthur asked calmly, not one to get riled up from Merlin's talking.

Merlin looked hopefully at both of them.

"Gwaine", he says.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, hey, lovely readers! **

**Thank you all so much for your reviews for chapter 3-awesome as usual. I agree with you guys: we saw far too little of Arwen in season five, and I'm hoping to include some cute flashbacks/memories of stuff we didn't get to see on the show. And yes, I agree: I honestly couldn't stand evil Gwen, it weakened her character, even if she was enchanted. And don't even get me started on the whole 4x09 Lancelot fiasco! Trust me, we'll get some redemption for both Arthur and Gwen, and Lancelot, too. I did love episodes 5x06 and 5x09, but I could hardly watch the two in-between. And, yep, I love Gwaine too and when he died, all three of us who watched the episode were a mess, too. **

**Disclaimer: still don't own Merlin. **

**Anyway, i hope you guys enjoy chapter 4! Thanks again for reading! **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 4

"Gwaine's returned?" Arthur repeats. "When did he get back?"

"Just now", Merlin answers, excited.

"We must go see him", Arthur says, and he starts for the door.

"Arthur, no, you need to rest-

"I'll be fine, Guinevere, I just want to see how he is. I'll 'rest' when I get back."

"Sure, you will", Gwen says, smiling.

"You can both 'rest', Gwaine's with Gaius, getting checked out", Merlin offers, and Gwen glares jokingly at him.

"See, Guinevere", Arthur says. "I'll rest, Gwaine'll rest, it'll be great."

"Yeah, well", Gwen says dryly.

"You are coming with us, aren't you?" Arthur asks.

"You know me too well", Gwen says, and she lets Arthur take her hand and the three of them walk out of their chambers to Gwaine.

AGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAG AGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAG AGAGAGAGAGAGAG

When the three of them get to Gaius' and Merlin's chambers, they are not at all surprised to see Gwaine sitting upright, smiling and talking and laughing with Gaius. Percival is there, too, getting his wrist wrapped in some kind of gauze.

"Gwaine", Arthur says, coming to greet his fellow knight.

"Arthur", Gwaine says in greeting. They share a kind of manly half-hug before Arthur goes and says hello to Percival. Gwen leans down and hugs Gwaine, gently. When they pull back, Gwaine says, "I bet you're happy he's all right again", and glances at Arthur.

"Yes", Gwen says, a smile slipping onto her face at the mention of her husband. "But I'm glad you're all right too."

"Well, thanks, Gwen", Gwaine says, and they share a smile before they turn to the rest of the group.

"How did you escape Morgana? What happened?" Arthur asks now, sitting, as Gwen's directed him, into a nearby chair.

"After the battle, we went to the woods, to hide", Gwaine says quietly. "When we got there, some of Morgana's men remained. They captured us."

"What did you do?"

"Percival broke through the rope around his wrists, and then tried to get to me. I was cornered by one of Morgana's men, and even my sword seemed small in comparison to the guy I faced.

"We fought for a while. He stabbed me. I don't remember much after that."

"I carried him", Percival says now, picking up the story. "I helped us both to the wood, to a new hiding place, where I knew we couldn't hide for very long. It would have been a long trek back to you, Gaius, so I did the next best thing."

"He brought me to a nearby village, to a little cabin where a girl lived. She tended to me, for a few days, being the best caretaker in the village, so people said in the days I was conscious again."

"What did she look like?" Gwen asks, noticing the little smile on Gwain'e face at the mention of the girl.

"She had blonde hair, blue eyes", Gwaine answered.

"Her name?"

"Leeda."

"That sounds lovely", Gwen replied.

"She was", Gwaine answered dreamily, and then he see everyone looking at him, clears his throat. "Continue, Percival", he says.

"No, no, this is your story, Gwaine", he says. "You've got to be the one to finish it."

And so he did. He told of the bandits that attacked them on the way home, he told of the killing of Morgana's men, finally. He told of coming home to Camelot, how nice it felt to be back. But, really, Gwaine was miles away, thinking of Leeda.

AGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAG AGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAG AGAGAGAGAGAGAG

Later that evening, Gwen passed by Gaius' chambers after meeting with some of the knights quickly at the round table, preparing for the first official meeting after Arthur's return that would take place tomorrow. She poked her head in to see Gwaine sitting in the same chair he'd been in that afternoon.

"Hi", she said, coming and sitting next to him. "Would you mind some company?"

"Not at all", he said, smiling at her.

"We had our prep meeting for the real meeting tomorrow", Gwen offers. "It went well, I think. It'll be nice to get things back to normal around here, don't you think?'

Gwaine nods in response.

"All the knights were there", Gwen continues. "Except for you, and Eleyan, of course, and-

Her sentence stops when she realizes he's not really listening to her.

"You're still thinking about her, aren't you?" she asks. "Leeda."

At that, Gwaine perks ups, looks at Gwen.

"Yes", he says. "Ever since we left, and all the time we were there...she's been in my head. I can't stop thinking about her."

'That's new, isn't it, for you?"

"It is", Gwaine answers. "I've never been in love before."

"You love her, then?"

"No! No", Gwaine says, looking flustered now, in an adorable way. "I just...like her. A lot."

Gwen hides a smile.

"Maybe you should spend more time with her, then. To see for sure, you know, if you love her or not."

"I can't", Gwaine answers. "I live here, she lives there. Besides, she's not one of nobility. It'd never work. Arthur'd never allow it."

"He allowed him and I to wed, didn't he?"

"That's different", Gwaine says quickly.

"Is it?" Gwen challenges. "Because it doesn't sound different at all. In fact, it sounds about the same."

They are quiet for a moment.

"Sorry", Gwen says quietly. "I didn't mean to snap at you."

"You didn't", Gwaine replies easily

"I did. And I'm sorry. Again. I just...I don't want you to miss your chance with this girl, your chance for love. If Arthur and I'd listened to Uther or anyone else back then, we'd never be together right now."

"It won't work", Gwaine says again. "She lives there, I live here...what am I supposed to say? 'Come risk your life so we can hang out to see if I like you or not?' That wouldn't go over well, even if she did like me."

'Well, does she?"

"Does she what?"

"Does Leeda like you?"

"I've no idea", Gwaine says.

"Isn't it worth it to find out?"

"Yes", Gwaine says, after thinking about for a good few minutes.

"Well, then, there you go. I'll help you. We can send a letter, you two can meet outside the city, where Arthur and I met. I'll talk to Arthur about it. I'm sure he'll be understanding."

"You won't tell anyone else, would you? Percival and the others would never let me live it down."

"No, I promise I won't tell who I don't have to", Gwen says, smiling.

"You're a good friend, Gwen", Gwaine says after a minute or two.

"Thanks. Just trying to help." Gwen stands up, starts for the door, but turns to look back at Gwaine. "If it's meant to be, everything will work out", she says.

"That's what I'm hoping, anyway."

"That's all we can do, sometimes", Gwen says. "Hope."

"That's all any of us has, anyway, isn't it?"

"Yes, I'd say that's true", Gwen says. "Good-night, Gwaine."

"Good-night, Gwen. And, thank you."

"Anytime", she says, and with that she closes the door softly behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, guys! **

**Thanks for your reviews for chapter 4! Always much appreciated! I think I might go and use your idea, larasmith, about Gwen having Leeda be her maid. It was such a cool idea! I PM'd-private messaged-you about it here on FanFiction, but I thought I'd mention it again here, too. I hope it's OK that I'm using your awesome idea. **

**Oh, and here we go again: still don't own Merlin...or Bradley. Just wanted to clear that up. **

**Thanks for everyone who's been reading this story, it really means a lot. Enjoy chapter 5, guys! **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 5

The meeting the following morning goes smoothly. All knights are in attendance, as are Arthur, Gwen, and Merlin. It feels nice to get things back to normal, after all the danger that came with the battle at Camlan. Gwen and Arthur leave the meeting holding hands.

"I've got some training sessions to oversee", Arthur says.

"I've got some supplies to deliver to the lower town", Gwen says back.

"See you at supper?"

"It's a deal", she says, and he kisses her lightly on the mouth before departing from the round table room with Gwaine, Merlin, and the other knights. Gwen puts on her cloak and heads to the lower town, with supplies in tow. She doles them out, remembering what it was to live in this very place, in her little house, with her father so long ago. She needs that, sometimes, the reminder of the girl she once was, a simple serving girl. She's always been grounded, and wise, but seeing these faces again, and knowing that they love her for the Gwen she is, queen or not, confirms it for her. She likes this part of being queen the best, meeting with the people she and Arthur serve and protect. Actually seeing their faces makes it real for her.

When she finishes doling out supplies, Gwen slips a letter into the hand of one of her must trusted confidantes.

AGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAG AGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAG

Gwen had talked to Arthur the pervious evening, right after talking with Gwaine, about the possibility of him and Leeda having a meeting.

"He must really like her", Arthur finally says after listening to Gwen's explanation.

"Why do you say that?"

"If a guy likes a girl, he will go out of his way for her. As Gwaine wishes to do."

"I told him about you and me", Gwen says sheepishly. "I think that convinced him."

"You think so?" Arthur says, drawing Gwen closer to him.

"Yes."

"I convinced you, didn't I?"

"I fell for you. You winning me over and me falling for you are two different things, even though they're exactly the same."

They laugh at Gwen's comment.

"Guinevere", Arthur says, wrapping her in his arms. "If Gwaine loves Leeda half as much as I love you, I think they've got a fair shot."

"You think so?"

"I know so", he says, and then he kisses her.

"So it's all right then?" Gwen asks. "If Gwaine meets Leeda outside the city, where you and I met that day?"

"The day when Morgana and my father caught us?"

"That'd be the one."

"I should've known," Arthur says then, his voice sounding far away.

"I knew", Gwen says quietly. "I knew...about her magic."

"When?" Arthur asks. "How?"

"I-I had walked in one night, to give her something, when I stopped by the door. Through the window, I saw flames shoot up out of a book, Morgana standing over it, with her hand moving it, as if she were controlling it, which she was. She looked pleased. She looked...like she didn't mean well to any of us anymore." Her voice grows thick with emotion as she says it, even after all these years.

"As you were being led away by the guards, you said you saw her smiling at you, didn't you?" Arthur asks. "When my father declared you guilty of using magic and enchantments?"

"Yes", Gwen answer. "And look what happened", she says now, tears, to her horror, pricking and smearing at her eyelashes. "She's dead. We..we killed her."

"We had to, Guinevere. She wanted to harm you, she did, in the dark tower. She was out to harm me...and everyone in Camelot."

"I know. I know that. I just wish it hadn't...come to that."

"As do I", Arthur says, his voice low in his throat.

"Which is why," Gwen says, "we should allow Gwaine and Leeda to meet. They'll be in much safer circumstances than we were."

"It was worth it, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Arthur", Gwen says, not having to ask what he means. "It was."

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And so, they meet.

Gwaine rides out a few days later, to the clearing in the woods outside the city. Leeda received his letter and is waiting for him, with a picnic all arranged. Very Arthur/Guinevere, right?

Gwaine gets off his horse, and walks toward her. He had studied her eyes and her hair from the pictures he had in his head, but he was once again blown away by her simple beauty. Blonde curls and big, blue eyes, plain face and a plain, pretty blue dress. The woman who had tended to him, a complete stranger, for three days when she had plenty of other things to do. The woman who had treated him as if he were her brother. The woman who had cared for him. That was Leeda. That was the girl he'd wanted so much to see again. And now she was here, right in front of him.

"Hello, Gwaine," she says.

"Hello, Leeda."

"I trust your injuries healed just fine?"

"Oh, yes, all thanks to you."

Leeda looks down and smiles a modest, pleased smile.

"Would you like some tea? I-I made us some food."

"That would be wonderful," Gwaine says and the two of them sit on the blanket splayed out on the ground. Leeda hands Gwaine a glass, and then a plate.

"Let me get that", he says, as Leeda starts to scoop food onto his plate. "You took care of me all that time, let me do the same for you." Leeda nods, smiling at him, and lets him fill her plate. He hands it to her and then fills his own. They eat thoughtfully, in comfortable silence for a while.

"This is good," Gwaine says. "Excellent, really."

"You think? I made all my best stuff, sandwiches, I brought cheese, fruit, cake."

"It was much appreciated," Gwaine says, showing her his now-empty plate. Leeda laughs, and Gwaine does too.

"So you're a knight of Camelot, I take it?"

"Yes", Gwaine answers. "I'm sorry we couldn't tell you that before. We wanted to lay low on our way home, in case any more of Morgana's men were still alive."

"Were they?"

"Yes. Some of them ambushed us on the way home."

"What did you do?"

"Percival fought them off. He killed them. He saved me, and brought us both back to Camelot."

"You must have a lot of respect for him."

"I do. I respect him, Sir Leon, all the knights. Arthur especially, with his being the king and all. We're all equal, and with that equality comes proper respect."

"That's very noble of you", Leeda says.

'"I am a knight, you know. Respectable, honorable, it's kind of who we are."

"I like that," Leeda says, smiling a shy smile.

"I do as well", Gwaine says. "It feels nice to be worthy of such a position."

"You did not always feel you were?"

"Oh, no," Gwaine says, shaking his head. "Before I was a knight, I was a drifter of sorts, moving from to place to place, from tavern to tavern. I was...searching for something, I guess, and I must've found it when I came to Camelot."

"I'd say you did", Leeda offers. "You make a very fine knight."

"Thank you," he says. She smiles in return.

"I shall be coming to Camelot soon", she says.

"You will? Why?"

"To be the queen's maid."

"For Gwen? Really?"

"She wrote to me, in the same letter she sent about you and I meeting?...She needed a new maid after Sefa betrayed her?" Leeda looks unsure now, holding the letter out to him that she had gotten from Gwen days ago.

"I guess that is true," Gwaine says. "I guess I hadn't thought about it. So you're going to be Gwen's maid."

"Yes."

"So you'll be in Camelot, in the castle and everything."

"Yes."

"Why, that's perfect", Gwaine says, smiling.

'You think so?"

"Yes."

"I-I've never been a lady-in-waiting before. I-I don't know how good I'll be at it."

"Gwen is kind, and good. You'll become great friends, I'm sure."

"I hope so," Leeda says.

"When do you officially start?"

"I'm to arrive in a three days' time," Leeda replies. "I've needed time to take care of things at home, sell my house, my property."

"Your family will not stay in the house?"

'I've no family", Leeda answers, looking down at her hands in her lap. "My mother died when I was very small, my father died when I was 10."

'I'm sorry."

"Have you got parents?"

"No. I'm like you, my parents both died when I was a young boy."

"I'm sorry."

"It is all right."

They look at each other, share a small, sad smile.

"I'm glad, though," Leeda says now, breaking the silence that has surrounded them. "To be starting over, in Camelot. New place, new people. I've never lived anywhere but my village."

"Yes", Gwaine agrees. "Change is good, sometimes. It was good for me." Leeda smiles at him.

"Camelot does sound wonderful, with how you've talked of the people there."

"It is", Gwaine agrees. "A good place. Camelot has changed so much, once ruled by fear, by hatred, Arthur and Gwen have brought peace to the kingdom, with an end to Morgana's terror."

"I'm sure everyone is much relieved", Leeda says. "And thankful, for Arthur and for Gwen. They sound lovely."

"They are. Two of the best people I know", Gwaine says. "And Merlin, of course. He's good too. You'll meet him, when you come."

"I'll be looking forward to it," Leeda says, hiding a smile.

"As will I."

Gwaine helps Leeda pack up the remainder of her picnic, of which there isn't much, and he kisses her lightly on the cheek before she gets on her horse.

"I'll see in three days' time", he says, holding her hand, as she looks down at her from her mount on the horse.

"In three days' time", she repeats. "Good-bye, Gwaine."

"Good-bye, Leeda. And thank you."

"For what?"

"For today. It was wonderful."

"I must thank you as well. This time with you has been most enjoyable."

She smiles at him, as he smiles at her. Gwaine stands and watches her ride away, watching until she and her horse become but a blur, a mere dot, racing across the grass, watching until he can't see her anymore.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey, lovely readers! **

**Thank you as always for your reviews for chapter 5. Much appreciated! And, larasmith, yes: many Arwen children in the future! And as for Leeda and Gwaine...you'll see! Thank you for your questions, they keep me thinking! **

**And for those who don't know, you can follow me on Twitter where you'll get updates on my stories and other things. Follow me at Taylorjae15, if you want. **

**And for those who didn't know this, either: I don't own Merlin, or Bradley. And, yep, that still makes me so, so sad. **

**Enjoy chapter 6! **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 6

Over the next few days, the castle got readjusted to being back on its feet after the battle. Everything slowly slipped back into a normal routine, including training sessions with new knights, round table meetings like the one previously held, and other things. Gwen and Arthur again felt at rest ruling Camelot, vigilant as always, but not so afraid anymore. Winning the battle and defeating Morgana once and for all brought new confidence to them, as well as from the townspeople, who were as proud of their beloved rulers as they ever had been.

And Merlin, too, was back to his old ways, being servant to Arthur.

"So, this magic thing," Arthur starts to say one morning when he was supposed to be writing a speech.

"We don't have to talk about this," Merlin rushes to say, holding up his hands in defense of something he has yet to defend.

"I think we do", Arthur says seriously. "You saved my life using it."

"Well, that's my kind of my thing, you know," Merlin says. When Arthur gives him a quizzical look, he continues. "Saving your life? Yeah, I do it pretty much every day."

"You do not."

"Yep. How's that make you feel?"

"Terrible, thank you!" Arthur shouted at him while Merlin stands there, grinning like an idiot.

"Why? You should feel..._lucky_, having me around."

"I do not feel _lucky_", Arthur says, and Merlin tries hard not to laugh at his angered expression. "Why do you look so pleased?"

"Because you finally know. I don't have to hide it anymore...do I?"

"Well, since the big idea was deceiving me, going right along with what everyone else in Camelot is out to do, I don't see why not."

"I know you're mad."

"I'm not...mad, Merlin."

"You are."

"I'm not. I'm...sad. I feel...tricked, cheated. Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why did you have to hide it?"

"Um, because your father was out to kill anyone with magic?"

"I know _that_," Arthur says with a frustrated sigh. "But, afterward...why couldn't you tell me when I became king?"

"I-I wanted to. I-I tried...When your father died...that was me. The sorcerer, Arthur...it was me."

"You," Arthur says after a heavy silence, the word barely audible. "You killed my father."

"I-I didn't mean to. I tried to save him. The spell was working. Morgana's pendant...that was what killed him. It reversed my spell and heightened the effects by ten times. Of course, I didn't know that, so when he died, honestly, I was as shocked as you were."

"You must've been happy, though, right?" Arthur says bitterly. "Having no one out to kill you anymore."

"No, Arthur. No. Your father...he was good. A little blinded, cruel, maybe, but that was because he was afraid. He loved you, and Camelot."

Arthur turns away from Merlin, leaning on a pillar, his arms folded across his chest.

"So...when Guinevere got sentenced to death and the sorcerer was caught...?"

"That was me."

"And when we took her to Cauldren...you were-

"The Dolma, yep", Merlin says, smiling a shy, embarrassed smile at the thought of dressing as an old woman.

"And when Gaius got off the hook with the interruption by the sorcerer and the sorcerer vanished?"

"Yep, me again."

"You're Dragoon", Arthur finally says.

"Basically, yeah."

"I can't believe this."

"It's true."

"So when you say you're protecting me...being at my side and all of that...you're really using magic."

"Yes, Sire."

"How come I've never noticed?"

"I'm surprisingly inconspicuous about it," Merlin says. "Really."

"I mean...the only other person who knows is Gaius...and Lancelot. And...Gwen."

"Guinevere knows about your magic and I don't?" Arthur throws up his hands in the air. "My own wife knows about your magic while I'm left in the dark. Great," Arthur says flatly. "I'm the king of Camelot, for crying out loud!" he yells.

"I know. That's why I had to hide it. You didn't exactly warm up to magic after your father died and with everything that happened...Everyone says our destines are...linked, Arthur."

"Linked? How do you mean?"

"I mean, I knew way before you did that you were fated to be the greatest king this land's ever known."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Oh, the Dragon told me," Merlin says nonchalantly.

"What Dragon?"

"The one who helps me out with stuff when I need it. He's dead now. Aithusa, Morgana's dragon, she's next in line, but I doubt she'll ever be any help."

"How about all those fires and falling rocks and stuff. Al that was..._you_?"

"You say it as if it's impossible."

"Well, it's just-

"Give me some credit, will you? Running after you on dangerous missions and saving your life isn't an _easy _thing, you know. We've nearly died so many times I can't even count them anymore."

"That's certainly true," Arthur answers. And then: "But, I mean-

"And here we are back on the Magic again," Merlin says, throwing up his hands, sighing. "Listen, I use it for good...for you, for Camelot. I-I tried to help Morgana with that, but not as much as I could and-

"We all know how that turned out," Arthur answers, his voice low in his throat. "I could've saved her, too."

"But you-I have magic. She has magic. I could've...helped her somehow. Change that bitterness and fear into something good. She was scared, too, scared of Uther, of her own father. She was afraid he was going to kill her if he ever found out."

"This whole chain of events doesn't portray my father as someone good, does it?"

"He was afraid, I told you. Magic was foreign to him, frightening, something he didn't have any control over. You fear that which you do not understand. That's all it was. But you, Arthur, you have a chance to be different. You were once willing to accept it...could you be that willing again?"

Before Arthur has a chance to answer, a guard rushes in, signaling Arthur out of the room, and signaling an end to their conversation.

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"Merlin has magic," Arthur says.

"I know," Gwen answer sheepishly, trying not to smile at him. They are at supper later that evening.

"So he was right. You did know."

'"Did you two talk about it today?"

Arthur nods. "He told me that you knew, that Lancelot knew, too."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry he deceived you."

"I'm sorry too."

"You've got to forgive him, you know."

"How? How can I forgive someone who's...lied to me?"

Gwen looks meaningfully at him.

"That's different, Guinevere. That's...you and me. I forgave you because I love you."

"And you're saying...?"

"You and Merlin are my two favorite people, the ones I trust the most. Wife/Queen always trumps Servant/Sorcerer, though", he made sure to say, making Gwen smile.

"But, really," Gwen says. "Merlin's been there for you, just like I have."

"You never lied to me, Guinevere."

"I never had to," she fires back. "Not saying I would, of course, but...if he went to all the trouble to hide it, he must've had a good reason."

"Yes, my father," Arthur says bitterly. Gwen looks up at him, nods.

"Your father was blinded by hatred, and fear," she says.

"Merlin said the same thing!" Arthur says, his voice raised. "Have you two been conspiring behind my back or something?"

"No, Arthur, _you_ said that, remember? When your father was dying, you said...we should step out from that shadow...you were willing to accept magic at that time. Why not now?"

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That night, Merlin and Gwen's words tumble around in Arthur's brain, which makes it hard to sleep. He lays there in the dark, in the quiet, thinking about his father, magic, Camelot. If he ever were to accept magic, what would become of Camelot? Would the streets be awash in spells being chanted, in potions being swigged? Would these lands become peaceful? Could they align with the Druids? He'd promised to protect and respect them, he had to, after the terrible wrongs that were done to that Druid camp under his command. And he wanted to, really he did. Would doing that bring peace? Or would it dredge up old feelings of Uther, of hatred, of that fear that seemed to cloud everything? Magic was foreign to him too, you know! Just because Merlin might use it on various occasions to save his life didn't mean he understood it. If he was to be completely honest, he was a bit afraid of it too. Did the mere idea of Merlin having magical abilities mean he shouldn't be?

Arthur thought then of their conversation a while back, about magic. He himself had only spoken of the evils of magic, of which he knew many. His father, Morgana. He know felt a pang of embarrassment at even thinking about saving Mordred. He's the guy who mortally wounded him! Friend or not beforehand...it was because of Merlin, apparently, that Arthur was even alive right now! Which meant that...he had to accept magic...didn't he?


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, lovely readers! **

**Thanks for your lovely reviews for chapter six! I love that they're so detailed and honestly they've given me some great jumping off points and things to think about. I'm so glad you enjoyed this chapter-I honestly wasn't sure how to approach the subject of magic, and this next chapter will flush out some of Arthur's feelings towards it. **

**Thanks again for reading, guys! You're the best! Enjoy chapter 7! **

**And, oh yeah: still don't own Merlin...or Bradley. And yep, I still feel all sad about that. Exhibit A: my Bradley board on Pinterest. Yes, I do have one. Yes, I am that pathetic. No shame, guys! No shame! **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 7

The next morning, Arthur glances at Merlin wearily from his position at the table in his and Guinevere's chambers. Merlin went about his duties as usual, preparing breakfast, opening up the windows to let the sun in, saying, "Rise and shine!" like he always did.

But it didn't feel like always. Now that he knew about the magic, Arthur saw his servant in an entirely new way. All this time...he had deceived him, too! He could be mad about that, and he was, but he was more...curious. About the magic. About all the things had hadn't seen, hadn't been keen to, hadn't been aware of. In this respect, he felt very, very stupid. Was everyone out to make him look a fool? Was Guinevere, then, truly the only person he could trust now? Little did he know, he'd come to discover something new about her too.

But more about that later. Back to Merlin and the magic.

"So, this magic thing," Arthur started.

"Don't say that again," Merlin whined, wiping the table.

"What can you do?"

"With magic, you mean?"

"Yes. What skills do you have that make you this great...sorcerer?"

"Well..." Now Merlin looked uncomfortable. He felt that way too. He'd dreamed about the day when Arthur and the whole of Camelot knew about his magic, but somehow he hadn't dreamt this, all the awkwardness that came with being someone with powers greater than himself.

"You can easily do these simple tasks using magic, I assume?" Arthur asked, prompting him, jolting him from his thoughts.

"Yes," Merlin answered.

"Show me."

"What?"

"Cast a spell. Show me your magic powers or whatever they're called."

"Um, OK," Merlin said, and cast a spell that swept the floor, wiped the table, simultaneously. Arthur's eyes widened.

"That's not all is it?" Arthur asks then, trying to remain calm and slightly uncaring when he was instead amazed by things he couldn't understand.

"No."

"You said...you were the one who defeated the saxons?"

"That's correct."

"How...how is that possible?"

"You don't believe me?"

"I didn't say that," Arthur says now, glancing up at Merlin. "It just seems..."

"Impossible?"

"Yes."

"Well, I had thought so too. Morgana took away my powers right before the battle, literally leaving me with nothing but the servant that I am. That's why I couldn't come with you to Camlan-I had to go get it back somehow. I'm honestly pretty useless without my magic."

'I wouldn't say that," Arthur says now. "You're a pretty good fire-maker."

"Well, thanks," Merlin says, smiling. "It's habit now, hiding my magic, doing things the ordinary way."

"Are there any others like you, Merlin?"

"Other sorcerers? I'm sure of it. Just not one with powers like the ones I posses."

"So all this time, you came to Camelot to...help me?"

"Yes, Sire."

"Why?"

"It was-well, _is_-my destiny," Merlin answers, using the phrase that sums up the last five years nicely.

"And all this time, I had thought magic was evil. That's all I knew of it," Arthur says quietly. "My father lashing out at it, Morgana using it for nothing but evil and suffering."

"That's not all magic is, Arthur," Merlin says, feeling unsure if he should say what he's about to say. "I mean, hey, I've saved your life numerous times using it."

"I know. You said so already. And, thank you. Again. But just because you've done that doesn't mean I understand magic any better. I've a slanted view of it, Merlin."

"I know that. And I hoped when your father died, by me saving him, you'd feel differently. But Morgana ruined that plan, too, like she ruined so many other things."

"She was a good person," Arthur says. "At least in the beginning. When we were children..." His voice trails off and he glances out the window. "She had so much...heart to her, you know? She always felt so...strongly about things."

"I'd say her heart got hurt one too many times for her to feel that way anymore, at least in any good way." Arthur nods in agreement, doesn't say anything. "We really can't blame her, can we?" Merlin inquires now. "It was the execution of Gwen's father, after all, that made her wish to kill Uther the first time."

"How do you know of this?" The tone of Arthur's voice makes Merlin nervous.

"Well, I-I mean...it's just that Morgana was so angry at your father for having done that, that she lashed out at him, lured him to the woods so that another man could kill him. I knew that-I could sense it because they both had magic, too-and was there that day and stopped it."

"You."

"Yes! When will you believe me?"

"I don't know," Arthur says, frustrated. He turns away from Merlin, looks out the window again.

"Arthur, Morgana was good. She just got her mind...twisted, you know? With fear and meanness. The measures Morgause took didn't help things either. It was all circumstantial. It won't happen again. Especially if we accept magic now, instead of shying away from it."

"You really believe that."

"Yes. Do you?"

"I don't know."

"What's to not know about?" Merlin exclaims, knowing full well he is overstepping boundaries.

"Everything!" Arthur all but shouts now. He takes a deep breath, looks down to the floor, looks up at Merlin again. When he speaks, he does so slowly and quietly, picking his words carefully. "If I let magic back into Camelot...everything will crumble. Just as it did twenty years ago before my father outlawed it."

"Do you really believe that?"

"I don't know what to believe anymore. You and Guinevere say to accept magic. My father would say to outlaw it."

"What do you say about it, Arthur?"

Arthur is quiet a moment. Then he says, "Years ago, Guinevere told me that a good king should respect his people, no matter who they are."

"Yes, Sire."

"Those people most likely include sorcerers, don't you think?"

"Yes."

"Like so many things I was blind about...I didn't do a good job of respecting them, did I?"

"You made great progress toward that, Arthur. You said at the shrine you would give the respect the Druids earned and were worthy of, did you not?"

"I did."

"And, you were the one who went the sorcerer, to me, when your father was dying, right?"

"I was desperate, Merlin. That was different."

"Arthur," Merlin finally says. "You say the goal of your reign is to create peace within the five kingdoms, correct?"

"Yes, Merlin," Arthur says impatiently. probably getting annoyed at the fact that Merlin is helping him make this decision, knowing more than the king of Camelot. "If there's a point to this, please get to it."

Merlin ignores Arthur's remark and continues. "You cannot achieve that peace whilst creating unnecessary enemies, Sire, which you will do if magic remains banned."

Arthur is quiet, considering, listening. His arms are folded across his chest as he leans on a pillar. "Go on," he says.

"If you wish to remain the good and fair king that you are, if you wish not to end up like your father, accepting magic...Sire, that is what you must do."

"You really think so. You're not just telling me this because that's what you believe?"

"Arthur, I believe to achieve all you plan to, magic has to play a role in that somehow. It already has, in a lot of ways. Why not it be something positive, rather than something to fear?"

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Later that evening, Arthur sits at the table, nursing a drink, and staring into space, thinking about magic. And Camelot. He always thought about Camelot. Well, and Guinevere, too.

Tonight, however, he was thinking of magic and Camelot and Guinevere's words she had said to him so long ago, all in the context of what was best for Camelot now. Who thought he knew best again? Oh, right, the people of Camelot and those in the outlying villages, but really, how could he, as one man, make a decision of this magnitude? To allow magic would be a cause for celebration, for people like Merlin, but others may not see it that way. He had told Queen Annis that he had desired peace, not victory. Was that what he would get if magic was practiced once more in Camelot? Would that truly lead to peace? Or would it simply anger those who were fine with the way things were? He thought about those people, then-men like his father, rigid and mean and afraid. He did not want to be like that.

_And so I won't_, he thought to himself. _I'll be different from my father. I will_-

Arthur's thoughts are interrupted by Leeda announcing that supper is ready, and bringing it in. Guinevere comes through the door of their chambers at that same time and immediately goes to help Leeda bring things to the table. It is moments like these when Arthur is again struck by how kind and _good_ his wife is. She has remained humble and wise and strong through everything-and for that he loved her more every day.

The sight of her makes him smile and she smiles in return as she sits down at the table next to him. Leeda makes sure everyone has everything, then leaves the couple on their own to go see a certain brown-haired knight.

"So this magic thing," Gwen starts to say.

"What about it?"

"That is what you're thinking about, isn't it?"

"How do you know so well what's on my mind, Guinevere?"

"Because of the look on your face. And because Merlin told me about it as I walked back here."

"An A plus for subtly," Arthur remarks dryly, making both of them laugh.

"Merlin has always been good at that, I must admit," Gwen agrees playfully. "Plus, he said something I mentioned to you made you change your mind. What was it that I said?"

"I might have talked about the time you and I had dinner at your house and then you called me a pig and then you got all upset because the plates and food were from the palace." Gwen can laugh at this, now, and she does. Arthur does too. "And I may have mentioned something about how you said a good king should respect his people, no matter who they were."

"I did say that," Gwen says, smiling.

"After you insulted me."

"I did not insult you!" Gwen yells out and then relents, smiling down at her hands in her lap. "Well, OK, I did, but you deserved it."

"You're right, I did," Arthur admits now. They look at each other, then laugh again. They are quiet a second before Arthur looks at his wife and asks, "That chicken that was set out for that night...you really knew what to do with it?"

"Well, cook it, of course," Gwen says, laughing.

"Yes, but how?"

"You never learned how to cook? At all?"

Arthur shakes his head. "Never needed to, living here n the palace and all."

"Thank goodness I live here, too," Gwen says under her breath.

"What?" The serious look on Arthur's face makes Gwen have to conceal her laughter.

"Well..." Now Gwen looks a bit embarrassed, but smiles at her husband. "I always wondered what would've happened to us if you hadn't become king and I didn't marry you to become queen. You weren't really going to become a farmer, were you?"

"Like I told you that day on our date? No," Arthur says, shaking his head again. "Just a dream, like I said."

"I think this kingly role suits you better, personally," Gwen says.

"Me too. After five years, I finally feel worthy of it."

"But if you had become a farmer, I would've went along with it."

"That is why I love you, Guinevere. You're so good to me," Arthur says.

"You're right, I am," Gwen says back.

They are both laughing when Merlin bursts into their chambers. He had an awfully bad habit of forgetting to knock.

"Merlin!" Arthur exclaims as usual.

"Sorry, Sire, M'Lady, but I came here to tell you that-

At that second, the warning bells go off and Arthur bolts from his chair to look out the window.

Merlin starts again. "There's a traitor in the castle. The knights caught him and are taking him to the cells."

"We must go to him," Arthur says. "Come on, Guinevere." He grabs her hand and the three of them go down to the dungeons.

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When they arrive there, they are greeted in hushed, serious tones by Gwaine, Percival, and Sir Leon, who tell that a man was caught trying to break into the wall around the citadel.

"Thank goodness he didn't get any further," Gwen remarks.

"That's thanks to Gwaine here," Percival says. "He caught him on his way back here and alerted us. We quickly captured him and brought him here." Gwen smiles at Gwaine, knowing he had most likely been with Leeda. She thought her maid had come in the back way when the event happened and was most likely cleaning up their dinner table in her and Arthur's chambers.

"He'll surely be able to have a trial," Arthur says then, speaking of the intruder.

"But, Sire, he broke in, or was going to anyway-

"He still deserves to have his say," Arthur says. "He will present to the court in the council chambers tomorrow at ten AM."

"Yes, Sire," the three knights say.

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And when that time comes the next morning, the man is escorted out of his cell. Merlin, Gwen, and Arthur stand watch before preparing to head up to the council chambers, following the intruder and knights. Arthur and Gwen go next as the king and queen, and Merlin hangs back for a second, watching them go. He starts to walk behind them, but something catches his eye and makes him turn around. He sees something winking at him in the corner of the cell, something bright, light glinting off it from the window above. He picks it up, to discover it is nothing other than a plain and simple sterling silver bracelet.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey, lovely readers! **

**Thanks so much for the reviews for chapter 7. Always much appreciated! I'm glad you guys are happy about Arthur knowing to trust Gwen and Merlin. I didn't want his decision to accept magic to be made lightly, but I don't want to to go in circles, either. I'll figure out how to handle it in the next few chapters. Now, though, it's on to the bracelet and getting some redemption for Guinevere's character. Enjoy, guys! **

**And disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or Bradley or the fabulous Merlin castle in France. I don't really own anything, and yep, that still makes me feel all sad. **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 8

Merlin's mind races as he inspects the bracelet. Where did it come from? Why was it here, in the cells? It looked to have been there for some time. It pulsed with dark magic, Merlin could feel it. He wiped the dust off with his ever-present scarf and headed back up to the council chambers where he suspected they were waiting for him. They were. Arthur glared at him and he shrugged in apology. There wasn't much that could be done, anyway. The trial had already begun. Arthur questioned the man with the fairness and good judgment of the king Merlin and Gwen knew him to be, and he continued to do so now as Merlin took his place next to Arthur, on the other side of Gwen's chair.

The king eventually sentenced the man to banishment, declaring him an enemy of Camelot. The man left in anger, but the look on Arthur's face showed that he had done the right thing. He held hands with Gwen and the two of them were just about to depart from the council chambers when Gwen stops, noticing the bracelet Merlin is holding. She turns around, and Arthur does too.

"What is that?" she asks.

"Oh, this?" Merlin holds up the bracelet. "I don't know. I found it in the cells."

"The first one, on the right?"

"Yes, how did you know that?"

"Because that's my bracelet," Gwen says, her voice shaking slightly. She swallows hard and looks to Arthur. She feels as though she might actually cry, something she hasn't done in years. Her throat hurts from not doing so, but instead she says, "Lancelot gave me that bracelet."

"Lancelot?" Arthur asks, looking down at his wife. Gwen nods, tears pricking at her lashes.

"After the guards threw me in the cells, I took off the bracelet and threw it in anger. I didn't know it was still there."

"When did he give it to you? Why?" Arthur asks now.

"It was right after he'd come back, you know, unexpectedly. H-He came to my house one morning, which I had thought was strange. Even the way he looked standing in the doorway...I didn't want to let him in. He didn't look like the Lancelot I knew. When I was hesitant, he said he only wanted to wish me well. I let him in after that. I told him that I felt guilty for his sacrifice on the Isle of the Blessed, having him die to protect you, Arthur." Gwen looks to see her husband's face in a long grim line. She keeps talking. "He gave me the bracelet then, saying he saw goodness in me. I-I didn't want it, but he slipped it onto my hand before I could stop him. He then took my head in his two hands and drew me close to him and kissed my forehead." Gwen can't look at Arthur as she says that, so she looks down at the floor instead. "I felt extremely uncomfortable about that. He wasn't the same man. I could tell."

"That's because he was a shade!" Merlin finally exclaims, barging in on the martial conversation. "Lancelot was a shade, a mere shadow of his former self. I knew this because he was the only one I told about my magic, and when he returned, he had no memory of it at all. I checked for sure with a spell, and found out he was only a shadow."

"Why did I never know any of this?" Arthur asks.

"Because we figured it wasn't really what you were upset about. What Gwen did, that's what you were mad about. Except, you know, she didn't."

"Who didn't what?"

"Gwen didn't really betray you, Arthur. That bracelet, it was enchanted, too," Merlin said, connecting the dots, finally. It all made perfect sense to him, now. Lancelot hadn't there to physically harm Arthur, as they'd seen during the jousting match, but to tear apart the best thing he'd ever known: his relationship with Guinevere, which was undoubtedly a more painful wound. "Lancelot, as a shade, gave that to her to make her have feelings for him again, Or, should I say Morgana. She was the orchestrator of this whole horror anyway."

"Morgana. I should've known." Arthur says his sister's name with a tinge of remorse. He's much too good to fully hate her, even now, even after everything that has happened.

"Yes, you should have known, Arthur," Gwen says, tears filling her eyes. "I took off the bracelet before our fight. All those things I said to you...I meant them and you didn't believe me. Why didn't you believe me?" She is openly crying now and she goes out into the hallway to try and get a grip, Arthur following behind her.

"Guinevere, I am so, so very sorry."

She can't look at him. She keeps crying.

"I said I was, and I shouldn't have been. I had no reason to be because I _didn't do anything wrong_!" She yells this at him, whirring around to face him now. After she says it, she puts her head in her hands and weeps, shame ganging up behind her eyes. This is all such a mess.

"You said you were because you were," Arthur says quietly now. "You are a good person, Guinevere, certainly the best person I know."

"Well, thanks for that, but that doesn't change anything. You banished me...everyone thought I was this horrible person for having betrayed you like that." The tears are back now and Gwen wipes them away furiously with the back of her hand.

"I didn't think that. Merlin didn't."

"Oh, you didn't, did you? Then why did you banish me?"

"Because of Agravaine," Arthur says, his voice raised, annoyed that she keeps yelling at him. "He told me that adultery in noble families was punishable by death. I didn't want that. I never wanted that."

"What, am I supposed to be grateful? Thanks for not killing me and all of that?"

"No, of course not," Arthur mutters now, not looking at his wife, but at the floor instead.

"Then what, Arthur? How do you want me to feel about this?"

"I want you to forgive. It's in the past, Guinevere. I feel horrible about it, really I do, but-

"But nothing!" she shouts at him, making him look at her for the first time since their conversation began. "Do you know what happened to me after I left Camelot?" Arthur is silent, so she continues. "I couldn't find work. Not anywhere. People thought I was this...stain on the pure and honorable Pendragon legacy you've created. Merlin's mother was kind enough to give me work, somewhere to stay. She felt sorry for me."

"Did Merlin know of this? Did he purposely lead us to Ealdor because you were there?"

"I've no idea, honestly," Gwen replies. "All I know is when I saw you that night-

"Did you throw away your ring?"

"What? What ring?"

"The ring I gave to you when I proposed," Arthur says. "I found it in the woods, still on the chain."

"While you hunting with Princess Mithian, right?"

Arthur sighed. How did she even know about that? He guessed she had her sources. If they were telling secrets, he might as well tell this one too.

"Yes, Guinevere. Mithian happened to come into my life just as you'd left it. Anything that happened, which was me literally turning her away and giving away half the kingdom because of it, was foolish. I didn't love her."

"It wasn't foolish," Gwen says quietly now. "I think that's...incredibly romantic, what you did."

They cannot look at one another, even though they want to.

"But your ring-

"My God, OK. Here's what happened with that: I've no idea! I wore it around my neck ever since I left Camelot. I'd hold onto it all the time, thinking of you."

"Then why-

"Why was it in the woods? I don't know. I know only that I woke up in the woods and was no longer wearing it."

"Why were you in the woods in the first place?"

"Ealdor was attacked, remember? I was running away, and I don't know, I must've fallen or something. I remember being slammed to the ground awfully hard. And then, it just goes black, nothing. And when I woke up, my leg was injured and the ring and the chain were gone."

They are suddenly interrupted by the knights and council members emerging from the room they left. People are able to tell something is wrong, but Merlin ushers them on, looking back at his friends with concern but leaving them be. Once everyone has cleared out again and the hallway is quiet, the two of them stand staring at the floor again.

Tears leak from Gwen's eyes again at the mere thought of that terrible time. "I didn't _do anything_," she says quietly. "I-I never did anything and you banished me-

"Guinevere-

"I think I just need to...be by myself for a while."

At that Arthur's mind raced. For a while? What did that even mean?

"Guinevere, be reasonable," he says instead, his voice a low rumble in his throat.

"I won't," she says, and then she walks away.

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Gwen walks out to the hills on the outskirts of Camelot. She knows she's conspicuous with her dress and her tears but she doesn't care. She sits on the ground, leaning up against a tree, hugging her knees to her chest, trying to stop crying, and then realizes she doesn't care about that, either, and so she cries for everything-for the loss of her father and Eleyan, for the lack of a mother in her life, for that terrible enchantment, enacted by a girl who used to be her best friend, for all the terrible things Morgana had done to them. And then she cried for Arthur, for how much she loved him. She mostly cried about that. She cried until she she was tired, something that should've been done years and years ago. She wipes her nose sloppily on her sleeve, knowing it isn't at all Queen behavior. She's glad when no one comes and asks her what's wrong.

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"Go find Guinevere, would you, Merlin?" Arthur asks his servant a few hours after their fight in the hallway.

"Forgive me, Sire, but isn't that your job?"

"No, it's your job, seeing as I just told you to go do it. Now, go."

"No."

"No?"

"Yes, Sire. No. This is something you must do."

"And what makes you say that?"

"She's your wife," Merlin says simply, no accusation in his voice at all. He knows he's said something right when Arthur looks down at the speech he's writing. When he doesn't say anything in return, Merlin continues. "I know things are...shaky after your argument, but you've got to talk to her. I mean, you've got to clear this all up sometime, right?"

"This is our first big fight, you know. With the exception of the Lancelot one."

"I know. Don't you want to have it mean something, then?"

"Did you know Guinevere was in Ealdor when you led us there?"

"No, I only knew when we arrived."

"And I bet you were happy about that, weren't you?" Arthur says sarcastically.

"Yes," Merlin says quickly. "But it was a good thing, right? I mean, look what happened. Gwen came with us and you guys got back together. All good, right?"

"Wrong."

"Why? Everything worked out for the best, didn't it?" Arthur is silent. "Come on," Merlin says now. "Don't be stubborn about this. What's done is done."

"Guinevere doesn't seem to be very accepting of that, now, does she?"

"Can you blame her?"

"Do you honestly think I would've banished her had I known about the enchantment? Of course not. This wasn't all my fault."

"Then tell her that," Merlin says. "This whole thing is based on deception, lies, is it not? Don't you think it best to clear the air, to be honest about everything?" Arthur is quiet. "Talk to your wife," Merlin finally says, and then he leaves the room.

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And so, Arthur does.

He goes looking for Gwen, feeling a bit panicked when he doesn't find her in the usual places-in town, visiting with the people, in the school visiting with the children, in the market, in the shops. He concludes she's gone elsewhere to gather her feelings and finally finds her on the outskirts of town, among the trees and hills. He notices her red dress right off and goes to her.

"Guinevere."

She glances up at her husband.

"What are you doing here?" she asks, even though she knows the answer.

"Looking for you, of course."

"Why would you want to do that? Aren't you mad at me?"

"Yes," Arthur says simply, sitting down next to her on the grass. "That's why I came. You're mad at me, I'm mad at you. We've got to clear this up."

"We can't," Gwen replies flatly. "Lancelot's dead, remember?"

"I know that," Arthur says quietly.

"Well, I guess we're stuck then, aren't we?"

"No. Guinevere, listen to me: I love you. Why dredge up old feelings?"

"Because those feelings changed the course of our relationship! You could never look at me the same...after."

"Is that really what you think?"

Gwen nods miserably.

"My God, Guinevere..." Arthur's voice trails off. He holds her face in his hands, kisses her, wipes away her remaining tears with the pad of his thumb. He's relieved, albeit surprised, when she doesn't push him away. "I could never, ever look at you as someone other than who you are. You are so good, so good to me. I was a jerk when we first met."

"You were," Gwen says, trying not to smile at the memory of how they used to be, so young, so scared.

"And you were there, so kind and wise and honest. Just like you are now," Arthur says. Gwen doesn't reply. Silence settles between them like a sheet.

"Thank you," she finally says.

"For what?"

"For forgiving me."

"God, Guinevere, don't thank me!" Arthur exclaims. "Don't feel like you owe me anything. You don't."

"I do."

"You don't. You're just saying that because you feel like you have to."

"Well, what else am I supposed to say?"

"Say you love me again. Say everything will be like before. Anything but thank you. Don't say thank you."

"I do love you," Gwen says softly.

"And the other? Will things be like before?"

"No. I don't see how they can be, anymore."

"Why?"

"Because!" Gwen exclaims. "Now that we know everything...it's all...wrecked."

"How can you say that? Now that we know everything, there's nothing else to know. No more secrets, no more mystery."

"Says the man who wishes things to be like before," Gwen says dryly.

"I didn't mean it like that and you know it. I just meant...I want you to be happy again, like you used to be. Can you...be like that?"

"I don't know," Gwen says. And then: "I want to."

"You do?"

Gwen nods. "I just wish...you'd listened to me. I poured my heart out...I told you I loved you and you dismissed it! You threw me out of Camelot!"

"I was angry, Guinevere. You must know that."

"And I was enchanted!" Gwen yells. "Now _you_ know _that_."

"You're right, I do. I didn't that night. I didn't until you did, until this morning." Arthur considers his wife, really looks at her. "That was the darkest time in my life, you know. When you weren't there. I'd look for you in a room and to have you not be there..." His sentence trails off. "You're like this beacon of light, guiding me through the darkness." At that, Gwen smiles a tiny smile at her husband.

"You really don't blame Agravaine, do you?"

"For telling me how to handle the whole Lancelot thing?"

Gwen nods.

"Well, I do a little. He tricked me, deceived me just as Morgana did, just as Mordred did." Arthur is silent, then says: "Believe me, I regret what happened. Really I do. I should've handled it better."

"You were angry, like you said."

"If I had known about the enchantment, surely you know I would've dismissed the whole idea of your betrayal completely. I really am sorry, Guinevere."

"I know. I know you are. I'm sorry I didn't give you the chance to say that, instead I just keep shouting at you. It just shows what a good man you are, and were during that time, forgiving me in spite of what you'd thought I'd done."

"You helped make me that man, Guinevere. I owe most of my good qualities to you."

"You're right, you do," Gwen says, making them both laugh quietly. "And that's the man I fell in love with. This good, honorable, fair-minded man. Not the one who banished me. I'm sorry for being so angry at you. That's not fair of me."

"Don't be sorry", Arthur says. "As I said before, you don't owe me anything. We're a team, Guinevere, husband and wife, remember?"

"Indeed we are," Gwen says, smiling. They sit in comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"Are we good now?" Arthur asks.

"Yes," Gwen says. "We're all good again."

"Good," Arthur says, getting to his feet and helping Guinevere to hers. "I love you, Guinevere. I love you so much."

"I love you too", she says, and means it with all her heart. They kiss long and slow and sweet among the trees. And then, holding hands and in love as ever before, they make their way home to Camelot.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey, lovely readers! **

**Thanks for your reviews for chapter 8-although I kind of freaked out when I saw many of them. After re-reading them about a million times, I finally concluded that yes, we're all mad that Arthur jumped to conclusions with the whole Gwen/Lancelot thing. Yes, it would've been nice for him to have taken her aside or whatever and said something like, "this isn't the Guinevere I know", but all he could see what was Agravaine showed him, and what now-shade/evil Lancelot was doing with Guinevere, right in front of him. You know? We only know she was out of character by being with Lancelot, but other than that we don't see any drastic changes in Gwen's character. We know it was wrong, and none of them knew she was enchanted. He was mad, I know that, and I said that in the chapter too, I think, at least a couple of times. **

**I'm still not sure what to make of these reviews-I never know if you guys like this story or not, but as always thanks for reading. **

**I'm anxious to get to where this story is in my head; we'll get there soon enough. **

**Enjoy chapter 9, guys! **

**And oh yeah: still don't own Merlin...or Bradley. Yet, anyway. :) **

**And, I'm still very much thinking about Troy and Brie. It's safe to say I divide my time between them and Arthur and Guinevere. In no way have I finished their story yet, so for all you Beautiful Eyes fans out there, don't worry! Also, so in love with Naley again, too. Just watched 2x19 again last night, the one where Nate crashes at the racetrack and I totally cried like I always do for him during that episode. He loves Haley so much and she can't even see that or appreciate it! Ag! **

**Enough of my rambling about fictional romantic couples. Here's the chapter for you all. Enjoy, guys! **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 9

A few days after Arthur and Guinevere's fight, Merlin arrives at the couples' chambers, finding only Gwen there, luckily. He knocks, she lets him in.

"Merlin, hey. If you're looking for Arthur, he's-

"I'm looking for you, actually."

"Oh. What for?"

"To give you a message. From Arthur, actually. He wants to spend the day with you."

"Really? When? Today?"

"Yes, today." Merlin laughs at Gwen's surprised expression. "Don't look so shocked," he says. "He's your husband, you know."

"I know _that_," Gwen says, swatting her friend playfully on the arm. "It's just-we haven't spent a day together in who knows how long."

"All the more reason to do so today, right?"

"I'd say so," Gwen says. "But-

"Just trust me. It'll be great."

"OK," Gwen says. "You'd better be right about this, Merlin."

"I don't know him like you do, but I know when Arthur's got you in mind, it's usually something pretty great."

"That's true."

"So, you'll do it? You'll let go for once in your life and go on your date?"

"Yes."

"Good," Merlin says, smiling. "'l'll tell Arthur you'll be there. He wants to meet you at the stables. You'll ride out to the clearing together. He's got everything all arranged."

"Wow, OK. Sure," Gwen says. "What time?"

"In about an hour. Will that be enough time?"

"I think so. I'm just so...startled that we'd be able to drop everything and-

"Have fun?" Merlin supplies, smiling. "You deserve it. Both of you. Seriously."

"Well, thanks. I'm sure we'll be gone but a few hours and then we'll-

"Don't worry. We've got things here. You two go and take the day."

"Thanks, Merlin. Thanks for this."

"Don't thank me. Thank your husband."

"I will," she says, laughing. He departs and she shuts the door behind him, smiling to herself. She's got a date! A date with her wonderful husband. How much better could things be?

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"Well, hey there, mysterious date-planner," Gwen says, startling Arthur.

She's arrived at the stables at the time Merlin directed to see her husband getting their horses ready.

"Hey, there, beautiful girl," Arthur replies, walking over and kissing her on the mouth.

"Wow, a compliment and a kiss in the first five seconds? I'm looking forward to the rest of this date," Gwen says, smiling.

"Me too," Arthur says, wrapping an arm around her and then releasing it. "Let's go."

And so they do.

They ride out together to the clearing, racing one another. It's a tie.

"Hey!" Gwen yells at him when they've stopped. "You didn't let me win, did you?"

"No!" Arthur yells back playfully. "It was a tie, Guinevere. No one won. And I did not let you win."

"You're sure?"

The slight smile on Arthur's face makes her lean over and slap him playfully on the arm.

"I wanted it to be a tie," Arthur says innocently, which makes Gwen laugh. Then Arthur does too. He helps her off of her horse and then he leads her over to a spread of grass in the clearing, where he's got a blanket, pillows, and food set up, just like he did for their first date.

"It's just like our first date!" she exclaims happily, tugging at his hand, kissing him on the cheek. He watches her excitedly sit down and look up at him, beaming. He joins her, feeling in that moment renewed by the security their relationship brings him. They are like always, back to their ways after the upheaval that came with the whole Lancelot fiasco, and for that he's immensely glad. He knows she is too.

They eat the food Arthur brought-a plethora of sandwiches, salad, fruit, cakes-talking and laughing as they eat.

"This is so nice," Gwen says at one point. "Being here, you know? With you all to myself for a change."

"It is nice, isn't it? Just the two of us."

"It is. Very nice. Something that hasn't happened in forever. You should've heard how surprised I was when Merlin told me about it earlier."

"A good surprise, I hope."

"The best."

"I'm glad."

Arthur reclines back, bringing Gwen with him. They lay together in comfortable silence for a while.

"God, Guinevere, I love you," Arthur says. "You're so selfless, so kind, so generous." This makes her sit up, he does too.

"What makes you say that?"

"I was just thinking about all our time together, and all the things you've put up with at the hand of my father or my sister or-

"I did those things in spite of them. I did them for you, Arthur."

"I know that. That's why I'm so...awed by you. You're so...good to me, a man who doesn't deserve all that you are."

"I'm not perfect, you know. By no means am I perfect. Don't go putting me up on some pedestal."

"I'm not. We're all flawed. That's what makes us human, after all. I'm just saying...thanks, I guess. For the wonderful person you are, that you chose me, let me love you like I have."

"You're welcome," Gwen says quietly, leaning forward and kissing him on the mouth. "I could say thanks to you for a million different things. You made me feel loved and safe and cherished, and worthy of someone like you. You still make me feel like that. I feel like we're equals."

"We are. We always were. It was always my father telling me otherwise."

Gwen nodded. "But we knew, even then-

"That it would work out."

"Right. We made it, through all the forces that tried to tear us apart, even though I needed some convincing in the beginning. You, Arthur, you made me believe in us, in you and me. I like to know that that's true, you know? That we weren't just teenagers in love, that were human beings in love, you know?"

Arthur responds by kissing his wife fiercely on the mouth. They break apart, smiling.

"We really are two fools in love, though, aren't we? I mean, if we're being totally honest."

"We are. We're two married idiots," Arthur replies, making them both laugh.

"I like that idea," Gwen says.

"Me too." Arthur starts packing up the food. "Let's go. There's still one place left to stop before going home."

"Where?"

"You'll see," Arthur says.

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The last place they stop ends up being a field, where hundreds of purple wild flowers are in bloom.

"These looks like the flowers you gave to me in apology all those years ago," Gwen exclaims.

"When I was an idiot, throwing away the one good thing in my life all because of something my uncle said," Arthur replies. "Not the best idea, was it?"

"You were under a lot of pressure, just having been appointed king and all."

"Still," Arthur says, picking a small bouquet of the flowers and handing them to her. "I'm glad you forgave me."

"Me too. Good thing you came to your senses, huh?"

"Yes."

"So they weren't really from a side of a road, then, like you said, were they? The flowers, I mean."

"No," Arthur said, shaking his head. "I discovered this field once out on a hunt. I thought of you when I saw them, because of the purple dresses you wore. I knew after making that big of mistake, purple flowers were the way to go."

"Well, thanks. Again."

"For you, Guinevere, anything," Arthur says, making her blush. Was it possible to be this loved? This happy?

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Turns out, it isn't. Impossible, I mean. Arthur ends up taking Gwen one last final place, to the pass he rode by many times with his father, to watch the sun set over Camelot.

"Arthur!" Gwen exclaims happily, hugging him. "You're just on the ball with the surprises today, aren't you?"

"I surprised you, didn't I? With our date?"

"Yes. I can't remember a better time than today."

"I'm glad. It's been a rather enjoyable time for me as well."

They sit on the same picnic blanket as before, Arthur draping another blanket around both of them. With the sun setting, spewing pink and blue and orange and red and purple into the sky, it's colder. Gwen snuggles closer to her husband and they watch the sunset together.

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When they arrive back to Camelot, all is quiet, settled down for the evening. Arthur and Guinevere hold hands as they walk back to their chambers, where they are greeted by Merlin, of all people.

"Well, how was the date? It was worth it, wasn't it?" he asks, looking at Gwen.

"So, so worth it," Gwen replies happily, looking up at her husband.

"I told you it would be, did I not?"

"You did. Thanks."

"For you guys, anything," Merlin says. He bids them both goodnight and leaves Arthur and Guinevere. They go into their room and kiss, long and slow and sweet, under the star-soaked sky that gleams through the window.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey, lovely readers! **

**Thanks for your reviews for chapter 9. I'm glad all of you enjoyed something light and sweet after all the drama. Enjoy chapter 10! And again: I don't own Merlin, nor is Bradley James mine...at least not yet :) **

**Thanks for reading, you guys! Your support means so much to me. **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 10

"That's perfect, Leeda, thank you," Gwen says. Her maid had just finished straightening up her and Arthur's chambers a few weeks after the whole Lancelot debacle. Arthur by this time had departed. Things had been wonderful between them during that time. They had woken together on this particular morning, dressed, went over their plans for the day as they always did. Arthur had kissed his wife lightly on the mouth, then went to see Merlin and the knights in the council room.

"It is no trouble, my lady," Leeda replies shyly now. "It is my job, after all."

Leeda pauses to arrange some knick-knacks on a dresser.

"You were Morgana's maid, weren't you, Gwen?"

"Yes, I was. A long time ago. Why do you ask?"

"I just want you to know that...I won't...be like that. Like how she was. I wouldn't lie to you like she did, about her magic, about who she really was."

Gwen is surprised Leeda knows about that, but not too surprised. Gwaine must've told her. How could've he not have? She herself had spent a good many hours talking with Leeda, confiding in her, taking comfort in her stories and jokes. Over this time, the two women had become fast and close friends. She guessed it was the same way with Gwaine-Leeda was such a kind, caring, open person, and the two of them had spent many nights talking and talking, just as she and Arthur had done, and still did-and was happy for her friend. She couldn't have picked a better man to be with. Well, except for Arthur and he was already taken!

"I know, Leeda. I know that. I've never doubted your ability to be anyone but yourself. You've proven to be an excellent servant, and a good friend, during these last months of being in Camelot. And Morgana...she...had no choice. She wasn't the Morgana I had grown up with when she came from wherever Morgause took her, that's for sure. I shouldn't be thinking about it anymore. It really was no one's fault."

"Well, just so you know..."

"I know, Leeda," Gwen says, smiling at her maid. "I know. Now, come, let's have us some time in the garden, shall we? We can go over the council papers. Bring them, will you?"

"Certainly, my lady," Leeda says, and they leave the room.

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After about an hour in the sun, Leeda is glad when she is asked to get some water with lemon for both her and Gwen. She is surprised by how warm she feels. _It's not _that _hot out, is it?_ she wonders. She hopes not. She brings the water on a tray out to Gwen and realizes her hands are shaking. Almost to the table, her hands are shaking so much the tray slips from her hands, landing with a harsh clank and crash on the stone walkway. Leeda flops to the ground to pick everything up, apologizing profusely.

"Leeda, hey, it's OK," Gwen says kindly, kneeling next to her maid to help pick up pieces of broken glass. It's then she looks at her maid closely. "Leeda...you're completely pale. Are you OK?" Her maid's skin looks almost gray and that frightens Gwen a little.

Leeda can't say anything so she merely shakes her head no in response. Gwen helps her stand up. "Go inside. Get some rest. Go see Gaius."

"But, my lady-

"Don't worry about me, or this mess. I'll clean it up. You just need to get better, OK?"

"Thank you," Leeda says gratefully.

"Oh, Leeda?" Gwen asks as her maid starts to walk away. Leeda turns around at the sound of her voice.

"Yes?"

"What do you think caused this illness? Have you been feeling sick for a while?"

"Ever since a few days ago...it must be a gradual thing," Leeda says, shrugging.

"Let's hope it's not a serious one," Gwen says smiling.

Leeda smiles a small smile and heads into the castle, grateful for a friend like Gwen.

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The following morning, Gwen awakes alone-Arthur had told her the previous evening that he'd be up early meeting some new knight candidates. She also wakes worried about Leeda. She had gone to see her later yesterday evening, where Gaius said she'd surely be up and around by the morning. Her not being here meant she wasn't, which made Gwen think it must be more serious than previously thought. She doesn't have time to be worried for much longer, though. A wave of nausea overtakes her and she rushes to grab a white enamel basin from under the bed. Her stomach contracts, hard, her shoulders jam up by her ears as she retches into the bowl. She's glad her hair happens to be braided. Otherwise, they'd have a mess. She rinses her mouth when she's sure it's over and slowly stands up, shaking, disposes of the waste in the bowl. It has surprised her, the being sick, and she isn't sure what to make of it. She feels out-of-nowhere fear as she places the now-clean bowel back beneath the bed; Gwen's heart lurches a little when she thinks of her maid. She hopes she doesn't have what Leeda has caught.

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In the afternoon, Gwen's sickness wears away, so she doesn't go to Gaius. Or, at least, not for herself. She does go see her physician to check on Leeda. She stands over her maid's bedside, peering at her with concern. All concern for herself falls away when she sees Leeda looking pale and weak and ill. Her mind flashes to when she felt the same way about Morgana so long ago. She shoves the thought away.

"How's she doing?" Gwen asks.

"She sick, very sick. It's highly contagious, I'm afraid," Gaius says, surprising Gwen when he grabs her arm and practically shoves her towards the door the second he sees her. "My lady, I advise you to stay away from Leeda and my quarters for a while, at least three days. Eight people already have contracted the same illness and I believe it to be spreading."

"Eight? Since yesterday? But...how?"

"I don't know, Gwen."

"Can't you stop it? Treat them?"

He shakes his head. "I'm unsure of this illness. It's nothing I've heard of."

"Surely there must be something."

"We'll keep looking. But for now, I want you to get as far away from here as possible. Can't have the queen down on the job." His smile doesn't reach his eyes and she sees this. He sees the fright in her face and says gently, "I don't mean to scare you. It's just precaution."

"Oh, I-I know," Gwen says. "Let me know if there's any change, will you? With Leeda, and the others, of course."

"I will, Gwen."

"Thank you."

"Anytime," Gaius says kindly and then she leaves, closing the door behind her, the fear chasing her like a fog.

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By the following morning, the number of the ill have doubled. Gwen is sick again, twice, but she doesn't go to Gaius, thinking he's got his hands full with this mysterious illness, sure that her own ailment with clear up soon enough.

Two mornings later, Merlin enters their chambers when Gwen is seated at the table, reading over some documents. Arthur is out on the training ground. The smack-swish of the swords pierces through the air, leaving it hard for her to concentrate. But she wouldn't have done much work anyway, her head still was reeling from being ill a mere hour ago, but she tries to fight it off. The last time this happened-yesterday, and the day before that and the day before that-it cleared up by early afternoon. She hopes whatever she's got will do the same today.

Thankfully, her face is hidden by her papers, making Merlin unable to see that anything is wrong. Merlin busies himself with the putting away of Arthur's freshly washed shirts and trousers, only looking from the basket from the closet, back and forth, back and forth.

"How are doing, Gwen? Beautiful morning, isn't it?" His voice is muffled being that his back is turned to her.

"Indeed it is, Merlin," Gwen agrees. "Arthur got you working hard already?"

"Yes. I don't mind, though," he says, giving a quick smile to himself. "I was glad to come here and get away from the swords. They do get loud sometimes."

"I agree. I don't know how Arthur can stand it."

"It's because he's the one using them to knock everyone over," Merlin says, and they laugh together.

"I guess that's true," Gwen says, standing up and coming over to Merlin.

"Besides, it's nice to be away from the sickroom for a while," Merlin says, continuing to chatter away. "I don't know how Gaius does it. I like to help people, not watch them suffer."

"Here, let me help you," Gwen says, though that is no answer at all. She takes the last of the shirts and puts them in a dresser in the wardrobe. Standing up after bending down makes Gwen's head swim. She reaches over grab onto to something, anything. Merlin reaches over to steady her, holding onto her upper arm. She slumps against him. It is then that Merlin really looks at her.

"Are you OK?"

"Oh, yeah, fine," Gwen says. Merlin peers at her with concern, not buying it.

"You're sure about that?"

"I've only been sick, I don't know, three or four mornings this week?" Gwen says, as Merlin leads her over to a nearby chair, which she sinks limply into. Her statement sounds like a question, as if she herself isn't sure. "I'm sure it's nothing. I mean, don't go worrying about it."

Merlin doesn't answer, but goes over to his friend and puts his hand to her forehead. "You don't have a fever," he says. "What symptoms have you been experiencing?"

"Just...vomiting, nausea, a headache here or there. That's it. It's been going away, I don't know, early afternoon, maybe?"

"I'll do some checking, look around in some of Gaius' medical books. I'm sure there's a cure somewhere."

"Oh, you don't have to-

"I insist. Now, you should rest. Drink some water." He pours a glass for her and hands it to her. She sips once or twice to please him, then sets the glass down.

"But the council meeting later-

"Don't worry about it, Gwen." He leads her over the bed, knowing she's too stubborn to do it on her own; she was never one to be weak about anything. He watches as she lays back, reluctantly. "I've got this," he says, nearing the door. "I'll be back later, OK?"

And without waiting for an answer he leaves the room.

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Later that afternoon, Merlin finally returns to his and Gaius' chambers, after catching a break in his work for Arthur. He quickly pulls down several heavy textbooks from a shelf and flips through them, hoping to find a cause and a cure for whatever Gwen has.

"It can't be the sickness spreading through Camelot," he remarks to himself. "Otherwise, she'd have a fever, chills, an illness coming on suddenly, severely. Gwen's got none of that."

When he finally finds it, he smiles to himself, feels dumb for not figuring it out sooner. He's got some big news to tell his friend. News that will affect Arthur, too, and the whole of Camelot.

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Merlin arrives back in the royal chambers in the late afternoon. Gwen is up and around again, sitting in a chair, reading over the same papers he saw her have this morning. A half-empty glass of water sits by them.

"Well, I figured it out," Merlin says. He smiles to himself. It all makes perfect sense, now.

"What is it? What've I got? It's not serious, is it?"

"Not exactly." The way Merlin smiles makes Gwen feel better.

"Well, then, what is it?"

"You're pregnant, my lady," Merlin says, a smile slipping onto his face again, bigger this time.

"No," Gwen breathes. "Really?"

"Really. The nausea and headaches were symptoms of morning sickness. They'll go away in time."

"OK...wow." Gwen's face is a mix between laughing and crying. Merlin pulls her into a gentle hug, kissing her on the cheek.

"Don't cry, Gwen," he says when they've broken apart. "A baby's a happy thing, right?"

"Yes," Gwen says, nodding, her voice full of happy tears. "You're right, Merlin. A baby's a very happy thing. Thank you for telling me."

"No problem. Now, you're under strict orders, courtesy of me, to lay low and drink plenty of water. Make sure to keep resting, too. A Pendragon heir is a big deal, you know."

"Oh, I know," Gwen says, a smile on her face. "Thank you, Merlin. Again."

"Don't mention it," Merlin says, smiling too, and he leaves the room, leaving Gwen smiling to herself. A baby! _A baby. _

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When Merlin sees Arthur about half an hour later, he's bouncing on his toes, he's so excited. But he would never bear such good news without having a little fun with it first!

"Want to know a secret?" Merlin asks casually as the two of them walk down the main corridor.

"Why would I want to know anything about you, Merlin? Let alone any of your secrets?" Arthur's voice is short, verging on disgusted, but Merlin shakes it off.

"Oh, I think you'll want to pay particular attention to this one," Merlin says, ignoring Arthur's tone. When Arthur fails to look interested, Merlins says, "It's about Gwen."

"What could you possibly know that I don't?" Arthur narrows his eyes. "You didn't tell her about the time I accidentally forgot our date that night three years ago, did you?"

"No," Merlin says, shaking his head, smiling. "It's just..." His sentence trails off as he puts his thumb in his mouth, miming a baby taking a bottle. Arthur doesn't get it.

"Are you...hungry?" He guesses. "For a...chicken leg?"

"No, keep guessing," Merlin says in a sing-song tone that is sure to irritate. It does. But, Arthur looks as Merlin puts his arms together, swings them back and forth, as if rocking a baby to sleep.

"You're holding something?"

"Yep. Keep thinking," Merlin says, continuing the rocking motion. "Something small, something that cries...something that you and Gwen create together..." After Arthur looks from Merlin's arms to his face several times without saying anything, Merlin confirms it. "A baby, Arthur," he says happily. "Gwen's going to have a baby."

Seeing his master stand in stunned silence for a good minute or two, Merlin waves his hand in front of his face. "Arthur. Arthur? You OK?"

"You're sure?" Arthur finally asks. "There's really a baby?"

"Well, there will be, in about nine months."

"Wow. That is the most...wonderful news." A grin splits Arthur's face, making Merlin happy for Gwen.

"I thought so too."

"And back to that: How did you know before I did?"

"Because I diagnosed it," Merlin says cheerfully. "I went by your chambers to put laundry away, this morning, when Gwen was kind of wobbly on her feet. I made her tell me all about the sickness she's been experiencing. It was kind of hard for her not to, me having just seen it. Turns out, it was morning sickness, a common symptom of pregnancy."

Merlin is glad when Arthur doesn't become angry that Gwen failed to tell him of her sickness, and instead ended up telling him. Merlin knows that Arthur knows Gwen well enough to know she'd never make a big deal out of something going on with herself, like sickness, unless it were absolutely necessary. The only reason it's out at all was because Merlin happened to be there. Merlin's kind of proud about that, having such a strong, selfless friend like Gwen, more concerned about Leeda than about herself.

"And you're sure?" Arthur asks again. "No joke."

"No joke."

"Wow. A baby." At that word, baby, a smile comes back to Arthur's face. "Where's Guinevere now?" He asks after a minute.

"She's resting, under my strict orders," Merlin says. "She was happy when I left."

"As am I," Arthur says, and then he runs to her.

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Arthur opens to the door to his and Guinevere's chambers to see Guinevere just waking up. She must have been sleeping for some time. The late-afternoon light leaves a shadow on her face, making her skin glow, her hair shine. He looks awestruck at her. Just when he thought he couldn't fall more in love with her, knowing there was a baby there made his heart beat fast in his chest. He walks over to her, sits next to her on the edge of their bed.

"Hi," he says.

"Hi," she says back, smiling at him.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, really, I swear-

Her sentence breaks off as she realizes it's Arthur she's talking to and she narrows her eyes. "Why do you want to know how I'm feeling?"

"Can't a husband ask his wife how she is every once and a while?"

"i suppose so," Gwen says, smiling, humoring him. "Why are you really asking?"

"Because I know."

"You know what?"

"I know about the baby, Guinevere. Our baby."

"You do?" She feels like she might cry again, even though she's smiling.

"Yes. And I couldn't be more thrilled for us."

"Merlin told you, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did," Arthur says, making both of them laugh.

"Is that OK, though? That he told you?"

"Yes," Arthur says. "Because I got to come back here to you knowing a baby would come to us soon. And the joy there is so great I can hardly stand it."

"I agree," Gwen says, smiling. He takes hold of both of her hands, kisses her.

"Are you happy, Guinevere?"

"So happy. Happier than I ever thought I could be." She considers him. "And you, Arthur, are you happy?" He responds by kissing her again, the sun splitting between it, just like their first kiss. He takes it as a good omen. They both do.

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The following afternoon, Arthur passes Gaius in the corridor. The smile on the king's face makes the physician stop to talk to him.

"I'm guessing Merlin told you?"

"About Guinevere and the baby? Yes. Gaius, can you believe it?"

"I can," Giaus says, smiling. "I double-checked with Merlin before he told Gwen. I'm happy for the both of you, truly."

Arthur considers him. "You wouldn't say truly unless you felt you had to. You're worried about something, aren't you?"

"Yes," Gaius finally says. "It's the sickness. What Leeda has, what several other people in Camelot have managed to get."

"It's still spreading?"

"I'm afraid so."

"There's no treatment?"

"Not that I know of yet, my lord," Gaius says. "Merlin and I will keep looking, of course, but for now I want you to keep Gwen away from my chambers. I already told her that a few days ago when she came to see Leeda but I know she'll be eager to help, do whatever she can-

"Could it harm her? Or the baby? This illness?"

"I cannot say for sure, sire. We'd best keep things separate as to not find out."

"Of course."

"You, too, I might add," Gaius says. "Keep to your chambers. Do not go near mine, as I've quarantined the sick there."

"Of course," Arthur says again.

"Now, I'd best be getting back to my patients," Gaius says. He starts to walk away but looks back to Arthur. "Congratulations, again, truly. I'll be by in a week or two to check on Gwen if there are no problems in the meantime."

Arthur nods and watches Gaius walk away. Back into a world of the sick, a world that could potentially harm him, Guinevere, their unborn child. Back to a world of a sickness that has no answer, no cure, that leaves a trail of fear in its wake. A sickness that has already threatened the lives of many Camelot citizens. _What will become of us? _Arthur wonders. Only time would tell.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey, hey, lovely readers! **

**Sorry I've been gone so long! I finished up with school for the year-my second year of college is over. I hope all of you guys are having a great end to your school-year, if it's that time of year for you guys. I'm not sure when schools end in the UK, where most of you are from. :) **

**I'm glad you guys liked chapter 10! I loved the Arthur/Merlin banter, classic Merlin, against the sickness and Gwen's super exciting news. **

**And, yes, Jalicehp, this story for sure will be updated! Thank you so much for your review-I'm hoping this story is healing your heart after the terrible finale, as I'm hoping it is for many of you! Ever since I read your review, it has been in the back of my mind, gnawing at me until I started writing. Thanks for the motivation! :) **

**I hope you guys enjoy chapter 11 and as always, thanks so much for reading! **

**And oh, yeah: still don't own Merlin, nor does Bradley James know I'm alive...yet :) **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 11

Illness was rampant through Camelot.

A good number days had passed since people first came to Gaius complaining of flu-like symptoms, and the number of the ill was doubling and tripling and spiraling out of control, reaching a frightening number that overwhelmed everyone, even Gaius, a man who had seen his fair share of sickness within the Camelot community. If he was scared of this sickness, that had to mean everyone should be. And they were.

Arthur trusted Gaius to figure out the cause and treatment, of course; with the coming of Edwin all those years ago, who promised 'a remedy to cure all ills' but instead used dark magic, no one in Camelot trusted anyone but Gaius, Merlin, and Gwen to deal with sicknesses. Speaking of Gwen, Arthur had been steering her away from Gaius' chambers whenever she asked about Leeda's state. She was still sick, Leeda was, and not getting well. No one was. And that was scary.

Little did anyone know, some information would soon be discovered that would be very helpful concerning the sickness raging through the kingdom.

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Gwaine was with Leeda on a chilly September afternoon-he snuck in, then later got special permission fro Gaius to be with Leeda for a while, claiming that a tough knight of Camelot would never succumb to such an illness, and it remained true: no knight had yet to catch the disease. It was mainly civilians coming down with the sickness.

"How are you feeling?"

"i'm OK," Leeda says, her voice weak. She didn't look OK-her skin was gray, her eyes were slightly bloodshot, she was cold all the time, her body raging with fever, not unlike many of the other victims. But her case was worse, because she was the first one to come in contact with the disease.

Gwaine doesn't mention this, of course. He tells her she looks beautiful, to which she responds with a small smile. He takes hold of her hand, needing to be connected with her in a way he hadn't been since she had fallen ill.

"It kills me, you know," Gwaine says, his voice gruff. "Not being able to stop this illness you have, not being able to have you be better."

"I know," Leeda offers feebly. "It's helping, though, just that you're here with me."

That made him happy inside and he fell in love with her more in that moment than he already was. When he told her this, a smile lit up her face, bringing life to her tired eyes.

"I love you too," she answers. "Sorry I have to tell you...like this. I had a much more romantic idea of how our first 'I love you' would be."

"Me too," Gwaine says simply, and that makes both of them laugh ever-so-quietly, so as not to disturb the other patients, even though they were in a room all by themselves, due to Leeda's sickness being worse than the others.

This first 'I love you' works for them, utterly simple and out of nowhere, but still romantic and genuine, much like the rest of their romance had been thus far. A perfect combination for Leeda and Gwaine, two simple souls who found each other and fell in love.

"How do you think you came about it?" Gwaine asks. "This illness?"

"I've no idea," Leeda says with a heavy shake of her head. "I just felt ill one day, while with Gwen, and she told me to go see Gaius. I did and he got freaked out a few days later when not only did I not get better, but others starting experiencing the same symptoms."

"And there's no cure? No treatment? Nothing?"

"Not yet," Leeda answers. "If only we knew the cause...I don't think I ate anything out of the ordinary, or came into contact with anything abnormal."

"What village did you come from? Haven, wasn't it?"

"Yes, you're right, I came from Haven village. Why is that important?"

"I'm just thinking...is there anything there that could've...carried here?"

"I don't think so," Leeda says slowly after a moment. "I mean...if there were...it would have to be maybe some of the herbs around? I don't know if you've got the same as we did, but-

"I'll ask Merlin. He'd know, since he seems to always be gathering herbs for Gaius. I'll ask him and get back to you."

"You'll come back tonight?"

"Yes, for sure," Gwaine says, getting up, kissing her hand. He leaves her with one last, long look. She is asleep before he leaves the room.

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When Gwaine sees Merlin later in the day, early evening, he speaks with him privately in a moment when he is not with the king. Arthur had gone to check on Gwen-she was still experiencing morning sickness, or as they came to call it, all-the-time-sickness-and he went back to their chambers to see how she was after she had been sick earlier in the day. He hoped the nap she took would help and was anxious to have her back to normal. It was very difficult for him to see her so sick all the time.

"Merlin," Gwaine says in greeting.

"Gwaine. How are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks," Gwaine replies. "Done working for Arthur?"

"For now," Merlin replies good-naturedly. "He's with Gwen."

"She still sick?"

Merlin nods. "Yes, her morning sickness seems to be severe for some reason."

"But it's not what Leeda has, right? It couldn't harm the baby, could it?"

Gwaine and the other knights knew about the baby due to an announcement Arthur made to the court the day after Merlin told him. Gwen was present, of course, and the couple was met with many congratulations and well-wishes. The knights, guards, and other royal personal were asked to keep an eye on Gwen, and they would. As much as she was their queen, she was also their friend, and they all respected Arthur's request; they looked out for Gwen in a brotherly way. Arthur and Merlin liked that.

"No," Merlin answers. "Morning sickness is natural, Leeda's sickness isn't. Gwen doesn't have that, and with Arthur and me around, she's sure not to catch it."

"Then why did Leeda?" Gwaine says quietly, more to himself than to Merlin.

"That's what you came to talk to me about, isn't it?" Merlin asks quietly.

"Yes," Gwaine says, nodding. "I just came to ask if you know of any herbs that are specific to the area of Haven village, where Leeda is from? I wondered if anything abnormal might have carried to Camelot from there?"

"I'm not sure," Merlin says now. "I doubt it. I'll check with Gaius to make sure, though, and get back to you."

"Thanks."

"No problem," Merlin answers. "I'll see you later."

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Later that evening, Merlin meets up with Gwaine in one of the corridors in the castle after completing a few more tasks for Arthur.

"What did Gaius say? Did you find anything?"

"Gaius says there shouldn't be any difference in the herbs around the village, but I wonder...about the water. I remember a while ago when Camelot had a bad water supply that made people ill."

"But wouldn't more people been ill if that had been the case? And why would it take so long to catch on?"

"You're right," Merlin answers. "But if it's not the water or the herbs, then...what is it?"

"I don't know," Gwaine says. "I was hoping you would. Or Gaius."

"Me too. Maybe we should go talk to Leeda, get some more information. Do you think she'd mind?"

"No," Gwaine says. "Let's go ask her."

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When Merlin and Gwaine see Leeda, she's awake. She smiles when she sees the two men, happy for the company, even if she is surprised to see Merlin along with Gwaine.

"Hi," she says in greeting. "Gwaine, Merlin."

"Hi, Leeda," Merlin says.

She searches his face and then asks, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Gwaine asked me about any herbs specific to your village, but I asked Gaius and didn't find water supply doesn't seem to be an issue, so Gwaine and I wanted to get some more information from you. Is there anything else you think might've caused your sickness?"

Leeda shakes her head. "I've been trying to think of something since this afternoon, when Gwaine and I talked. I couldn't come up with anything...unless..."

"Unless, what?" Merlin asks carefully.

"It must be me, right? Something in me, or about me that caused this, right? I'm the problem, aren't I?" Leeda asks, her voice cracking with emotion.

"No, no, sweetheart, no," Gwaine says, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you for lying to me. I love you for it, trust me, but it's got to be the truth. I mean, right, Merlin? I'm the one who first contracted the illness, I'm the one who made all those people sick..." Her voice trails off when the tears clog her throat.

"There must be something..." Merlin says now. "There's got to be something we can do...some cure...or...something..." The desperation edged in his voice is something Gwaine hasn't seen before. Usually, Merlin is confident, sure of himself. The last time he had helped Merlin with a problem was when he rode with him to the Crystal Cave...where he said he was sure he'd be OK once he found what he came for...and that had to be...

"Merlin, what about your magic?"

"How do you know about that?"

"I was thinking back to the Crystal Cave, right before the battle and I finally put the pieces together."

"I was pretty obvious, wasn't I?"

"You were desperate," Gwaine replies.

"I was," Merlin says easily, growing more at ease at the idea of his magic with each new person he told. "I felt awfully helpless without it."

"Could it help us now, do you think? With this illness?"

"It just might," Merlin says. And the hope was back.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey, lovely readers! **

**Thanks so much for your reviews for chapter 11-much appreciated. Larasmith, I loved the end of your review, about Arthur and Guinevere. Yes, I'm a hopeless romantic, so of course Arthur is always, always, always thinking of his beloved Guinevere. You'll get to see more of that during this chapter, I think. **

**One FanFiction story I know that does focus on Arthur and Guinevere is Guardian Angel by ifly123. It's perfect for A/G fans, super romantic and adorable. Check it out if you haven't already. I've read all 22 chapters twice already-I'm hoping the author will write more because I love it so much! **

**If you guys have any good Arwen FanFics to recommend, let me know! I also happen to love the one-shot entitled Family Portrait. It's extremely adorable, I think. Check it out if you want! **

**Like always, I don't own Merlin...nor does Bradley know I'm his one true love, at least not yet :) **

**Thanks again for reading, you guys! Enjoy chapter 12! **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 12

But Leeda didn't want to.

Have Merlin use his magic, she means. Because she was sure, from what Gwaine said, Merlin had used his magic plenty of times to save everyone else, usually getting himself and others in trouble in the process. Leeda didn't want that at all. She didn't want him to have to save her. She wanted to save everyone. _I should_, she thought. It _was_ all her fault in the first place.

She had finally figured out the cause of the illness: she had been bringing some clothes back from the river where she washed them, only to have them fall on the ground in the hustle and bustle of the lower town in the village where she lived. She had thought they were OK, she merely dusted them off and went on her way. She never would have suspected that the clothes now carried a dangerous microbe of dust, that now was threatening to claim many lives in Camelot. And it turned out the river where she washed the clothes wasn't the cleanest either, and so that added to the trouble, not that she knew that until it was too late. Her eyes filled thinking about it. What a stupid mistake! What a stupid reason to be lying here, dying! To be responsible for others dying!

It was all such a mess.

She knew this, by the way, from when Merlin came to her late, late a few nights ago. He said that the dust now carried through the air, especially easily this time of year, he said, with the clear days and nights without much rain. That dust now was the thing they were fighting. The dust caused the fever, causing the sickness, causing the dying. It would be laughable if it wasn't so terrible. Leeda rolled over to her other side, as if doing so would help her run away from the problem. She knew it wouldn't, but she was too tired to do much else. As much as she felt so angry at herself she could hardly stand to be in her own skin, she felt too weak to do much about it at this point. And that just made her angrier.

_Until tomorrow_, she thought. And she let sleep claim her.

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But tomorrow doesn't have a chance to come yet, because Leeda wakes up in the middle of the night, frustrated. She is restless, sick with guilt that came with causing the illness. When Merlin told her and when she had reacted upset with herself, as she was right now, Merlin made sure to assure her that things could be fixed, that everything would be OK.

"AKA: your magic, right?" Leeda had asked, her voice flat.

And when Merlin had nodded, Leeda had thrown her arms in the air, said simply, "No," turned away, and feigned sleep until Merlin had left. She felt terrible about it, but surely he'd be happier knowing she took care of her mistakes, right?

With that thought in her head, Leeda got up out of the bed, the moon casting light in her room, making the bedsheets virtually glow amidst the darkness. She slipped on her shoes, put her cloak around her shoulders, and headed out in the night. Surely, she thought, she could do more good out here than she could lying in that bed. She had been lying there for weeks anyway, with no improvement whatsoever.

The cool night air snaked through her cloak and nightgown, making her shiver. She hung onto her hood in an attempt to make it stay on her head. She grabbed a horse from the stable, feeling guilty that she couldn't leave a note, and rode away into the woods. She wanted to cry, thinking of all that was wrong, but there wasn't time for that. She had to find someone to help her, and fast, before it was too late, before she didn't have time to save anyone.

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When she got far enough away, she slowed her horse to a trot and wormed through the various passageways and routes in the forest. She knew of a woman who could take care of this for her, from a story her father used to tell her when she was a little girl. She hoped the woman was still practicing her craft of medicine, because she could quite possibly take all this away for her, and, more importantly, for Camelot.

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Back in Camelot, the knights were alerted by some guards that a horse had been stolen from the stables. Gwaine quickly came forward.

"I caught a glimpse of them before they left the city. I'll find them, whoever they are," he said, no knowledge at all that the thief was none other than the more important person in his life: Leeda.

"I think it's time we alert the king and queen," Leon said.

"Yes, of course," the guard said, and he was off.

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"Cora? Cora, are you here?" Leeda whispered with urgency, picking her way carefully through the small wooden cottage nestled in the far part of the forest.

"I am here. Who seeks to find me?" a voice answers, whispery and wise, just like Leeda had imagined in her head.

"It's, Leeda, Cora. I come to seek your help with a sickness, a disease, actually. One that is raging through Camelot. One that is all of my own doing," Leda says, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes for the second time in an hour.

"Now, now I am sure that is not true," Cora says now, coming towards Leeda, an eerie blue light from the moon washing over her, making her look more mystical than ever.

"It is," Leeda says. "I-I was washing clothes in the river near Haven village, where I am from, and afterwards, I dropped them on the ground in the lower town of my village. Apparently," Leeda says, drawing a shaky breath, still unable to comprehend that something as small as dust is ruining everything, "that dust carried to Camelot and apparently it caused the illness that now threatens many lives there."

"Including your own, I assume?"

Leeda nods. "But that's not as important as saving everyone else. I mean, right? There's going to be an heir-the queen is expecting-there's no good in bringing a baby into a world filled with sickness, right?"

"The world will always be sick in some ways, Leeda," Cora says quietly.

"I know," Leeda says, upset. "I just-

"I know. You wish to get rid of the illness, for everyone, the king and the queen, especially."

"Right," Leeda says, relieved that someone is listening. It doesn't sound nearly as crazy coming from someone else's mouth. "Can you help me do that?"

"I can," Cora says slowly. "It will require a sacrifice, however."

"I'll do it," Leeda says quickly. "This is all my fault, you know."

"I highly advise you do not do this," Cora says.

"But you just said you understood-

"I did. I do. I cannot, however, recommend you die to save Camelot."

"OK, then, tell me of another remedy to get rid of the illness!" Leeda exclaims then, throwing her arms in the air in frustration, in anger, at herself, at the situation.

Cora purses her mouth. "There isn't any," she finally says. "Not any that I can give you. Perhaps your physician-Gaius, isnt it?-can do something-

Leeda shook her head. "No, he's done so much, with not so much as an ounce of improvement. He's dead tired all the time, going from sick person to sick person, with no cure, for weeks on end. I don't want him to worry anymore, I don't want Merlin to have to use his magic and risk endangering himself or others like he's had to do many times in the past, saving everyone but himself. This is my mistake, I wish to be the one who takes care of it."

"That is your final decision?" Cora asks carefully.

"Yes," Leeda says, and for the first time in weeks she feels worthy again.

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In the royal chambers, Arthur and Gwen receive a knock on their door, late, late, late that night, just as the warning bell sounds. They both awake with a start. Arthur crept out of the bed and slips out into hall, dressed in trousers and his white shirt. He converses with the guards and a few knights for a minute or two, then goes back to Guinevere.

"What is it?" she asks drowsily.

"A horse has just been stolen from the stables. The knights are concerned about who the rider is, what he or she might do, or already has done. Sir Leon tells me Gwaine rode after them, but sounded the bell and alerted us anyway."

"Well, we should-

Gwen starts to get up, pulling on a robe over her nightdress, but Arthur stops her.

"I'm sure it's nothing too serious," he says. "I'll go deal with this, you stay and sleep."

Guinevere looks so grateful his throat tightens; she is so tired, has been for days now, tired of throwing up, tired of being tired. He's glad to help her back into the bed. He kisses her forehead.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he says, and then he slips out the door, closing it gently behind him.

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Gwaine arrives in the clearing, and then comes to the far part of the forest. He is surprised to see the stolen horse standing nicely outside a tiny cottage.

"Where is your rider?" he asks it, knowing it won't answer him. He then is startled by the shape of someone lying in the woods a few feet away. He suddenly gets a funny feeling, a feeling of dread washing over him, and suddenly he knows the rider of the stolen horse is Leeda. He runs over to her.

"_Leeda_?"

"Gwaine," Leeda says after a minute, her eyelids fluttering open for a second before closing again. He shakes her awake again, worried.

"Leeda. hey. Can you hear me?"

She nods ever so slightly. Her breathing is weak and shallow; somehow, Gwaine knows she is close to dying and is afraid.

"Leeda, hey, hang on for me, OK? We'll get you back to Camelot and-

"No," Leeda says, struggling to sit up. "No," she says again, shaking her head.

"What do you mean? How did you get here? I don't understand-

"This is what I want."

"What, to be lying here, dying?"

Leeda shakes her head again. "To stop the illness," she says. "That's what I want. Cora helped me. I took a tonic. If I die, the illness will end. I don't want to die. I really, really don't want to die, but this is the only way. It's all my fault, anyway. I can't live with myself if-

"Oh, Leeda no, no," Gwaine says, surprised by the desperation in his voice but realizes he shouldn't be. He loves her, after all.

"Yes, Gwaine," Leeda says, and she lays back down again. Tears slip out of her eyes, roll to her temples, into her ears. "I'm sorry..."

Her voice trails off and her eyes close and he's afraid she's already gone.

"Leeda!" he exclaims; when her eyelids open ever so briefly he breathes again.

"I love you," she says softly.

"I love you too." He takes hold of her hand. He gathers her body in his arms, kisses her forehead. Gwaine holds Leeda until she grows cold in his arms. And after that happens, he leans over her, and cries.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey, lovely readers! **

**Thanks for your awesome reviews for chapter 12! Much appreciated! And larasmith, never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever will neither Arthur nor Guinevere perish in this story. Merlin, the knights, Gaius, Arthur and Guinevere's children, all will remain well. I myself feel very sad with what happened to Leeda and I'm the one who wrote it! Trust me, this is not something I do carelessly. **

**I hope this sad turn of events has not deterred any of you from reading, but if it has, I guess I can't do anything about it. I hope you'll stick with me, though, and Arthur and Gwen. Good things will come, I promise. This story is called A Love Which Brings Light for a reason :) **

**Disclaimer like always: still don't own Merlin; if I did, Arthur and Gwen would've had beautiful babies and lived happily ever after and we would've gotten whole episodes filled with nothing but cute A/G scenes, but that's what this story is for, I guess. I still can't watch them fight in the 4X09 episode, it's just too awful. And, nope, the beautiful and handsome Bradley James still doesn't know of my existence. And yep, that still makes me super sad. Did any of you see him in Australia this past weekend? **

**And, RhiannonZ, thank you SO MUCH for your story recommendations! I've had such fun reading the FanFics you recommended. I read all that niklovr has of Desperate Measures so far, it's fantastic, to say the least, and I'm in the middle of The Serving Girl Who Became Queen, which is great as well. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm dedicating this chapter to you because of your awesome story recommendations. I hope you like it! **

**Also, I'm giving a major, major, major shout-out to MartishaRose for leaving a review on both Arthur and Guinevere, but also for Perfectly Clear. I'm glad you found A/G to be easy to follow, even if you haven't seen Merlin. Thank you SO MUCH for your two lovely reviews! **

**And, a big, huge, awesome shout-out also to Anonymous, who left a review for Beautiful Eyes that actually made me tear up. I'm so very, very honored to be called brave by you-and thanks for thinking I'm a talented writer! THANK YOU! I hope you continue Beautiful Eyes; I think you'll enjoy it! Please keep reading and reviewing! **

**Thanks, everyone, for all your kindness in terms of my writing. I have the best readers in the world and your support is everything. **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 13

Arthur stood outside the castle on the steps, awaiting the return of Gwaine and whoever stole the horse from the stables. He was glad Guinevere remained in their chambers asleep. She needed it, but she wasn't one to ignore her duties as Queen either. Besides, he thought, this was probably nothing. No need to worry Guinevere, anyway.

So that's why he was surprised to see Gwaine ride up, looking distraught as Arthur had ever seen him. All concern for the stolen horse falls away immediately. He then notices Leeda lay across the saddle in front of Gwaine, and that she is not moving and he was afraid.

"Gwaine?" he asked.

"Sire."

"What happened?"

Gwaine dismounted his horse, careful not to jostle Leeda as he then lifted her gently into his arms. Where was he to begin?

"Leeda, she..." Arthur notices the man is struggling and puts a hand on his arm.

"Is she...?"

Gwaine shakes his head no and then Arthur is afraid again.

"We must bring her to Gauis," Arthur says, tugging gently on his arm. Gwaine shakes his head again, but follows numbly behind the King anything.

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Gwen is surprised when Arthur isn't back when she wakes up the next time. She is sick again, twice, lurched from sleep by another wave of nausea. She looks to the timepiece briefly to see it's nearing five o'clock, almost first light. She is rinsing out the white enamel basin in the small sink in their getting-ready area when she hears Arthur step quietly into their chambers.

"Are you all right?" he asks, noticing the now-clean bowl she holds in her hand.

"Yes, fine," she says, trying to smile a tired smile. "Did you find out who stole the horse?"

"Yes," Arthur says, and then he hesitates. "Guinevere...I don't mean to scare you, but...it's Leeda. It's bad, Guinevere, it's really bad." His voice cracks ever-so-slightly, a rare occurrence for him, certainly, and then her eyes widen with fear. She grabs her robe hanging off the back of a chair, wraps it around her nightdress and then runs out of the room, Arthur following her, closing the door to their chambers quickly behind him.

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The King and Queen arrive in Gaius' chambers to see Gwaine sitting next to a white sheet, under which is Leeda, still and unmoving, gone. Merlin is there, too, walking in behind Arthur and Gwen. When Gwen sees Leeda and Gwaine, she stops in the doorway, shocked at the sight so that she runs into Arthur behind her. Arthur grabs her upper arm gently to steady her. Gwen practically falls, shaking, to her knees next to Gwaine. She links an arm with his and rests her head on his shoulder for a few seconds.

"Oh, Gwaine. Oh, Leeda...Is she?"

Gwaine shakes his head for what seems like the millionth time that morning.

"Oh, God," Gwen says, and then a few tears make their way down her cheeks. She stays like that, silent and crying, resting her head again on Gwaine's shoulder, for a long, long time. Even after dawn's pink fingers stretch into the sky spraying sunshine everywhere. Even after the streets fill with people and the day gets going. Even after Arthur comes to her at one point, kneels down beside her and says in a soft voice, "Guinevere, come on. You should rest," even after she says no to that. Even after Arthur gets to his feet, goes and stands by Merlin, and even after all four of them don't talk and are silent. Even after all that, they stay and stay.

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A day later, Merlin is with Gwaine in Gaius' chambers, in a break in his work for Arthur. Although Arthur isn't too enthused about anything today, too sad about Leeda, concerned about Guinevere. He actually asks Merlin to be done early for the day so that he may be with Gwen. Even if she is merely napping in their chambers-make that trying to nap, sleep hasn't come easy for her since she heard about Leeda-he wants to be there when she wakes up, and for whatever else she needs.

"Gwaine?"

"Merlin," Gwaine says quietly in greeting. Gwaine is sitting in a chair and he gestures for Merlin to do the same. He does, and they sit in silence for a while.

"About the horse," Gwaine says finally. "Leeda-

"Don't worry about it," Merlin says. "I'll retrieve it from the woods."

"Thank you."

"I'm sorry," Merlin finally says. "About Leeda. About what happened. If I could've done something...I could've, too, with my magic, but-

"She didn't want you to," Gwaine answers. Tears threaten to fill Merlin's eyes at the awful-ness of it all. "She'd heard me tell all your stories about saving Camelot all the time with your magic. She didn't want you to have to do that again. She felt...responsible."

"_I f_eel responsible," both men say in unison. They look at each other, then look away. They stay, sitting and silent, for a long while.

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A few days later, the morning of Leeda's funeral, the royal chambers are tense and still, the grief leaking everywhere. Things have been like this since Leeda's passing. Gwen has been quiet and sleeping fitfully, some nights not at all, which worries her husband. Speaking of Arthur, he has been everything during this time-attentive, quiet, so good to his wife in the way he always is-and he is so now when she struggles to finish buttoning her dress, something the maid-_Leeda_-usually did. She is wearing her blue dress rather than her black mourning dress, to honor Leeda, for her blue dress she always wore, that matched so well her fair hair and skin and once sparkling blue eyes. She struggles so until tears actually prick and smear beneath her lashes.

"Guinevere," Arthur says gently to her, coming behind her. "Let me help you." She can feel his big, strong hands fumble with the delicate buttons on her dress, but Arthur is a patient man, and he buttons the dress quickly.

"_I _couldn't get those buttons fastened because _Leeda _does that and she's..._gone_, and there's nothing I can do about it. I can't stop it, _nothing_ can stop it." The tears clog her throat and she turns around to find Arthur and he wraps his arms around her. She buries her face in his chest and cries. The sobs are ugly and desperate, coming so fast she can barely breathe, and he hates them. He hates to see her like this. He can hardly stand to be in his skin. He paces around the chambers when she isn't around, which isn't often, thinking to himself, about Guinevere, mostly. He wishes he could do that now, but doesn't.

Instead, he says: "Maybe you shouldn't come to the funeral. In your condition, the stress-

"Leeda was _my friend_," Gwen says fiercely, her voice cracking.

"I know," Arthur says quietly, hugging her again. He can feel the tiniest baby bump against his body as he holds her but doesn't comment on it now. He presses a soft kiss to her mouth, if only to comfort her. His gentle touch makes a few tears slide down her cheeks. "She was your friend," he agrees quietly. "She was all of ours."


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey, lovely readers! **

**Thank you so, so much for the awesome reviews for chapter 13. Much appreciated, as always. I'm sorry this is so sad, in the story and in real life-I'm still reeling from the death of Cory Monteith, a celebrity I'm so totally disconnected from; I keep going on Twitter to see what people post under #prayforlea, I keep thinking about Glee and Finchel and keep getting all emotional at the terrible finality of it all; I'm so stuck on it. Mostly I keep thinking about Lea, about how she'll have to go on without him, like Guinevere had to go on without Arthur in the show's ending. That must require a strength I don't think I possess. But that's why there is this story, so I don't have to do that, so I can still imagine better things for Arwen. I just wish I could say the same about Lea and Cory. I think I'm going to cry again if I keep talking about this, so I'll end here.**

**Sorry for the sad rambling, I just figured I could tell you guys if no one else. **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy chapter 14-more sadness, I'm afraid, but it'll lighten up soon, promise. It's going to take some time for them all to adjust to the absence of Leeda. Writing is very therapeutic for me; I hope reading this story is healing your guys' hearts as well; at any rate, I'm glad you guys have found this story and thanks as always for reading :) I'm listening to The Civil Wars as I write this, they're very calming too. **

**Oh, and disclaimer: still don't own Merlin, nor does Bradley know of my existence...yet :) **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 14

Arthur and Guinevere proceed to leave their chambers and head down the main stairs and out the castle doors. Once on the main floor, Merlin eyes Gwen worriedly. Arthur gives him a look that says, _I'm her husband. I've got this_. Still, as the couple leaves, Merlin grabs Gwen's arm and pulls her aside. She looks back to Arthur, but he assures her it's all right with a nod of his head, gesturing to some castle officials up ahead he'll talk to.

"Are you OK?" he asks her, peering at her with concern

"Yes, fine," Gwen replies, giving Merlin a ghost smile that fails to reach her eyes.

"You're not in any pain, are you?" Merlin asks. "I just worried, the stress-

"No, no pain," Gwen says, shaking her head, worry flashing across her face at the thought, taken aback by her friend's question. "And that's what Arthur thought, too, by the way," Gwen says quietly now. "About the stress. He almost wasn't going to allow me to come to the funeral."

Over the top of Gwen's head, Merlin gives Arthur a look that says, _OK. We're even on the worrying scale_. He liked that Arthur took good care of Gwen like he did. Still, he had to see for himself that his friend was all right. Once he saw that, he released her, no more questions, and watched her walk into the arms of her husband. Facing forward, he follows behind them as they all troop outside.

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Outside, it a gray, blustery fall day. _Perfect,_ Gwen thinks to herself; it fits her mood. Curls whip around her face; she swipes them back with one hand, while trying to keep the hem of her dress away from the dust and hold Arthur's hand with the other. They are the first in the funeral procession, followed only by Gwaine and then Merlin, and then the other knights. farther back, followed lastly by the castle officials. They make their way to the lower town, wanting to honor Leeda's delicate simplicity by burying her by a little pond, with trees and flowers all around it. It is quite beautiful, but Gwen can't see any beauty in anything today. Townspeople gather there, have been doing so for hours now; they are waiting for them. Usually seeing the King and Queen is cause for great celebration, but today they are quiet, offering Gwen only looks of pity that grow worse and worse as she stands and stands there. She can't bear that, so she looks away, to the ground instead, even though she knows it's not right.

Once the funeral starts, she keeps standing and standing there, holding Arthur's hand, tears smearing beneath her lashes every so often, getting only more irritated by the wind. The clouds build and darken, threatening rain, but none comes. Gwen wishes it would, to maybe block out Geoffry's somber words about the person Leeda was, about how the people of Camelot should honor her by living good lives, about how missed and remembered she will be. This whole day shouldn't be happening at all. Leeda should be well! They all should be OK! But they're not. Gwen wishes to turn around and run all the way home, but somehow her feet stay planted on the ground. Her eyes then land on Gwaine, but the sight of his grief is even more painful than that of the townspeople's sympathy; she can't look at Arthur, she'd surely lose it, she can't even acknowledge him when he keeps glancing down at her looking concerned. She doesn't know where to look but at the ground.

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When the service finally finishes, people exit in the opposite order in which they came, the townspeople first, followed by the royal court and knights, then Gaius and Merlin, who glances back at Gwaine, Gwen, and Arthur, the three remaining. Gwaine suddenly breaks protocol and goes over the Leeda's casket, places a white rose on top of it, stands there for a while. It looks as though he is crying. Arthur gently tugs at Gwen's hand after letting her watch Gwaine for a few seconds, turns so they are heading up the hill to the castle. Merlin stands, waiting at the top, watching Gwen glance back at Gwaine, look worriedly at him. Arthur silently coaxes his wife to continue up the hill and so she does, ducking her head against the chilly, damp fall day.

When they reach the top of he hill, Arthur takes off his armor and chainmail as fast as he can and practically throws it at Merlin. He is surprised by this, Merlin is, by this loud and sudden clamor breaking the stillness and weight of this day; Merlin realizes why Arthur did what he did when he sees the king again with Gwen.

When they get back to the lower town Gwen stops, looks at the little brown house that was once hers, that was once Leeda's. Tears rise in her throat, making it ache. She turns to find Arthur, the tears trickling down her cheeks now, and he envelopes her in his arms. She is so very comforted by the familiarity of his red tunic that the urge to cry wells up again. A soft sob comes out instead. She holds the rest back, merely resting her head on his shoulder, trying to get her breathing in check after all the crying.

Merlin realizes as he stands there watching his two best friends that Arthur wished to be able to comfort his wife without the obtrusion of the cold metal armor. Thinking about this, he is startled by Sir Leon, who comes to him, sees the King and Queen, and says quietly, "perhaps we should delay their arrival?" Merlin nods, knowing the knight will handle everything. He watches Leon leave, his chainmail flashing against the gray sky. He looks to Arthur and Gwen again, to Gwaine, down below, still by Leeda's casket, and feels a deep pang of sadness that makes his throat constrict.

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After standing in the lower town by what was once Leeda's house, and Gwen's, Arthur breaks the embrace, look at his wife.

"Ready?" his kind blue eyes ask.

"With you I will be," her brown eyes answer, and so he takes her hand and together they walk up to the castle.

At their arrival a few minutes later, a hush falls over the room where the reception is being held, and Gwen is grateful when quiet conversation ensues shortly after. There is a long table filled with food, but Gwen has no appetite.

"I'm not hungry," she says when Arthur hands her a plate.

"But the baby might be," Arthur replies, making a tiny smile slip onto her face.

"You're probably right," she says, and she takes the plate Arthur gently nudges into her hands.

They eat and talk for a while, with members of the royal court, with maids and servants, all who knew Leeda fondly. Arthur and Gwen talk with Merlin, and Gaius, the knights. It is when Gwaine enters the room that a hush falls over everyone again. The pain etched in his face is so very evident Gwen wants to look away. Merlin goes to him, pats him on the back like the good friend he is. Gaius brings him a plate, which he says thanks for but doesn't touch, so the food grows cold until someone takes it away. Merlin and Gaius strike up quiet conversation with him, waving Gwen and Arthur over after a while. The five of them talk quietly, the knights and others rallying around them, asking if they need anything, keeping watch at the door, at the castle steps out front like always. Everything is so still and quiet Gwen is glad when she sees the sun start to sink into the sky, spewing red and orange everywhere.

People start to drift towards the door, maids start to clear way the food from the long table. Eventually Merlin comes to the King and Queen, says they are free to go.

"You're sure?" Gwen asks, gesturing to what's happening around them. "You don't need us to help clean up or anything?"

"No," Merlin answers, shaking his head. He sees plainly the exhaustion in Gwen's face. "We'll take care of things here."

"Thank you," Arthur says. Merlin nods and then turns to the table to clear away more plates.

Arthur and Gwen turn to the door, see Gwaine and pause to talk with him. Gwen gives him a wordless hug, his grief so heavy she is almost afraid of it. She shudders, selfishly fearing what were to happen if she had lost Arthur in the battle of Camlan; surely she would feel just as horrible and lost and empty as Gwaine felt now. She pulls back from the hug, her eyes bright with tears.

"She loved you," she says quietly. "I know she did."

"I loved her too," Gwaine replies, emotion thick in his throat.

"We're here," Arthur says now, putting a hand on Gwaine's arm. "If you need anything-

"I know," Gwaine says. "And, thank you. Both of you." With one last long, sad look Arthur pushes the heavy double doors open, letting Gwen go out ahead of him, and they are silent as they walk back to their chambers.

Once there, Arthur helps Gwen unbutton her dress the same way he helped her button it that morning. She goes behind the screen, changes into her nightdress, and comes back into their main room with a book. She sits in the rocking chair by the window, watches the sun fall into the sky. Arthur asks her again if she needs anything, in a quiet voice that tells her plainly he loves her a lot. She shakes her head no, continues to read. He goes out to speak with the guards in the hallway. The softness and melodic tone of French makes her drowsy, until before she knows it, Arthur is leading her to their bed, where she succumbs to sleep, grateful that this difficult day is over.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey, lovely readers! **

**Sorry for the long gap between chapter 14 and now. I've been busy preparing for my next semester of college, which will be spent abroad in Europe. I'm majorly nervous-if you guys know me at all, you know I worry about absolutely everything; I also am an introvert and a homebody, so flying halfway across the world and being there for four months while having to function as a student as well is majorly terrifying. It's a big step, but I hope it will change me for the better. Any advice on this is welcome! I mostly find myself worrying about the little things-the bathrooms, the food, ect., just because it's different from home and there won't be any parents around to help out. **

**And, I've reawakened my love for Merlin-for a while I was merely thinking about this story, not about the show-and getting back to watching full episodes has made me extremely happy. I must've watched five yesterday slone-1x06, 4x01, 2x01, 2x10, 1x13-and they made me so, so happy. What can I say, I'm a Merlin fanatic, as I'm sure you all are too :) I remembered why it was I had loved the show in the first place, and especially why I love Arthur and Gwen as a couple. Enough rambling about the fabulousness that is Merlin, and on with chapter 15. And, also, shout-out to larasmith, for her fabulous review on chapter 14. It made me so happy. I'm glad you could clearly see Arthur's love for Gwen in that chapter, I wanted it to be romantic and comforting even amidst the sadness. I hope you guys like this chapter! **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 15

A few days after Leeda's funeral, Gwaine came to Arthur and said he had to leave Camelot for a while. He didn't have to say why. And so, the following morning, the King, the Queen, Merlin, Gaius, and the knights watched from the castle steps as he went to mount his horse. Before he did, though, Gwen broke protocol, broke though the silence and heaviness of this moment, and ran down the steps to Gwaine. He looked slightly surprised to see her, but only slightly. She looked at him for a brief second, then leaned in to hug him. Gwaine returned the hug, and from that position, Arthur could clearly see the grief in his face and it made his heart drop in his chest. When Gwen pulled back out of the hug, she said quietly, "Go away from here if you must. Be who you need to be for a while. When you're ready, come back to us. You'll always have a home here."

"Thank you, Gwen," Gwaine answers quietly, emotion thick in his voice. He puts a hand on her arm in friendly affection, then turns and walks away, doesn't look back. Gwen immediately turns, too, walks back up the castle steps, wiping at her eyes furiously. Arthur catches her hand as she does this, walks back inside with her.

"Hey, hey," he says quietly, and that's all that needs to be said for her to turn and move into his arms. She tries hard not to cry, but does so a little. Arthur's warm hand on the back of her head makes her feel better. From inside the embrace, she can feel the air become colder as everyone comes in from outside. They stay like that, though, ignoring the interruption. She can picture Merlin glancing at them, concerned. She doesn't mean to worry him. She usually isn't this emotional. All the pregnancy hormones, probably.

She pulls back from the embrace, dry-eyed, though.

"Are you all right?" Arthur asks her now, his mind probably flashing to when she was sick-_again_-this morning before this even happened.

"Yes," she answers. "I'm fine."

"Guinevere-

"I am, really. Besides, we've got a council meeting in five minutes, and-

"But if you're not...OK, if you need to rest, you can-

"I don't want to," she says. "I don't need to. I'm fine, really."

"You've said already."

"I know, You just haven't believed me yet." She brings her hand up, caresses his face.

"But-

"I'm fine, honestly. Physically, I mean." She looks at him, lets him consider this. "Really."

"But if you aren't-

"I'l tell you," she finishes. "I promise."

"You're sure?"

"If I go back to our chambers, I will lay there and lay there and think of Gwaine and Leeda. And like I told you all those years ago when we went to rescue Elyan-

"'it's good to keep busy, stops me from thinking too much'", Arthur quotes, nothing but understanding in his voice. "I know."

"So all right, then," Gwen says. "Let's go in."

"But if you feel sick again, if you ever need to rest-

"I'll tell you. You can even walk me back to our chambers," Gwen says, smiling at him.

"Why, thank you, Guinevere. What an honor," Arthur replies playfully, a smile in his voice, wanting to lighten her sad mood any mood he can; with that, he wraps an arm around her, bringing her with him as he turns and heads towards the council chambers.

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A few weeks later, Merlin knocks on the door of the royal chambers, pokes his head in.

"Just a minute, Merlin," Arthur replies from where he stands behind his wife, fastening the buttons on the back of her purple silk dress. He could've easily handed the responsibility over to one of the other maids, but he didn't. He knew Guinevere well enough to know it would've been a terribly sad thing to have done, that _she_ was still sad, but wouldn't say so. He had, however, let the maids let out some of her dresses, to make her more comfortable in her now third month. When he finishes, he promptly kisses her on the cheek.

"Thank you," she says quietly to him.

"Anytime," he says, squeezing her hand before releasing her to talk to Merlin.

"Any word from Gwaine?" Gwen asks, gathering some papers for a meeting later that afternoon.

"No, nothing," Merlin answers. "The last letter I got from him was a week ago, when he said he stopped to see Leeda's village, Haven, it's called."

"That must've been terribly hard," Gwen murmurs.

"I agree," Merlin says. They are silent for a second before he sees the troubled look on Gwen's face. "He'll be all right, though, you know."

"I know," Gwen answers. "It was just so final, so sudden-

"I know," Merlin says again, leaning in to hug her quickly. "But, Gwaine, he's a tough guy. He'll be back to his old self soon enough."

"I hope so," Gwen says.

"He will be," Merlin answers.

Arthur links an arm with Gwen's before anyone can says anything else, and the three of them head out the door and down the hall.

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Another couple of weeks go by. No word from Gwaine, but Gwen thinks of him, and Leeda, often. The ache that came with her loss is still there, but dulled ever so slightly.

One evening. Arthur says, "We'll need to get you another maid, Guinevere."

"What?" She is startled by the high squeak in her voice in her reply. She knew it had to happen sometime, but here it is, surprising her anyway.

"It won't be for another couple of weeks," Arthur says quickly, taking her hand, noting her distress at his words. Her throat tightens slightly, pinching, at the thought of Leeda being gone forever and someone stepping in to replace her.

"I knew it had to happen sometime," Gwen finally says. "I just-I can't-

"I know it seems sudden," Arthur says quietly. "I just figured with the baby coming we'd need someone here who will know us, and know you, especially, before that time comes. I'm doing this for you, Guinevere, only for you. But if you're not comfortable with this, we don't have to. Whatever you wish to do, we'll do."

"No, no it's..." _Fine_, she wanted to say, but couldn't. She breaks away from Arthur, goes and looks out the window. "It's...going to take some getting used to," she says instead, turning around to face her husband.

"I know," Arthur says. "I know that. That's why I'm telling you now. We've found a girl, Catherine is her name, and it turns out she's from Leeda's village as well. Who knows, maybe they knew each other."

"They could've been friends, even," Gwen says, relief relaxing over her at this news.

"They very well could've been," Arthur replies. He gently takes her hand, kisses her forehead. "I love you, Guinevere. I want you to be OK."

"I will be," she replies. "I will be."

Arthur envelopes her in his arms, and together they watch the sun set over Camelot, and hope for better things to come.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey, lovely readers! **

**Thanks for your reviews on chapter 15. Much appreciated, as always. I'm glad you liked how Arthur tended to Gwen in the way he did. I liked it, too :) **

**Oh, and disclaimer: still don't own Merlin, nor does Bradley know of my existence. I did watch another batch of episodes yesterday, though-3x08, 1x07, 2x07, 1x11 and 4x08, all of which were fantastic. Could we really expect any less from a show like Merlin? **

**Again, updates may become sporadic when I leave in a few days-I'll be traveling quite frequently around the UK, France, and other places-and for the next few months following. I won't have internet everywhere, but I'll try to update when I can. Believe me, though, I'll be thinking about Arthur and Gwen all the time like I always am. We have a while before this story is over, trust me! My stories tend to be quite long-60 chapters or so? I hope that's all right with you guys. Thanks for your support as always. It means everything, seriously. Enjoy chapter 16! **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 16

Catherine arrived two weeks later. Arthur had sent a letter to her the day after his talk with Guinevere, she had sent one back, saying she was delighted to be a lady-in-waiting to the Queen of Camelot, and hence her arrival followed shortly. Now, though, she looked nervous as she walked with the King and Merlin down the corridor to the royal chambers.

"Don't be nervous," Merlin says.

"Am I that obvious?" Catherine asks, ducking her head, a curtain of brown hair covering her hazel eyes.

"No," Merlin says, smiling. "It's not that. I've been servant to Arthur for many years, and it was a learn-on-the-job kind of experience; you'll get the hang of it, even if you've never done this before. I did, and you will too, trust me."

"Thanks, Merlin," Catherine says. "That means a lot."

"You did have a lot to learn, didn't you, Merlin?" Arthur says now. "You were quite-

"What? Clumsy? Foolish? Incapable?"

"Yes," Arthur says flatly.

"He said only yesterday that I still am all those things," Merlin says to Catherine, making her laugh.

"The Arthur who said those things sounds very different from the Arthur who wrote me this letter," Catherine says now, producing the letter from her bag.

"Oh," Merlin says, scoffing, "that's because in the letter he talked of Gwen. She is in a whole other league."

"_She's_ the _queen_," Arthur snaps at him.

"Yes, and you're the king and I'm Merlin the sorcerer and this is Catherine the lady-in-waiting. Now that we've got that out of the way," Merlin says, and then he turns again to Catherine and says, "working for a Pendragon is tough. Lucky for you, Gwen is only a Pendragon by marriage. She'll be much easier to deal with."

"Tough?" Arthur scoffs, sounding so much like Merlin did that Catherine hides a smile with the the palm of her hand. "At least Catherine isn't the laziest drunkard in the five kingdoms."

"Hey!" Merlin says in protest. "Will you quit it with the tavern jabs already? I never go in there!"

"That's not what Gaius says," Arthur replies, steering the group down another corridor, nearing the door to the royal chambers.

"You do remember that when he said that he was possessed by a goblin, don't you?"

"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur says shortly, and with that he leads Catherine inside, a complete gentleman now. Merlin follows behind him.

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"Guinevere," Arthur says, stepping inside their main room. She is bent over a book at their desk. She gets up when she sees the three of them come into the room, and Arthur goes to her. He touches her arm lightly, says something in a low voice that neither Catherine nor Merlin can make out. She turns around smiling though, so things must be OK. Merlin wondered how Gwen would take Catherine coming in to replace Leeda as her maid. He should've known she would do it with grace and dignity. It was just who she was.

"May I introduce Lady Catherine of Haven Village," Arthur says then; tears threaten to fill Gwen's eyes at that, the words sounding so very familiar, words that had introduced Leeda so long ago. She recovers quickly though, smiles, waves away Catherine's curtsey and use of, "Your Royal Highness."

"Please," she says, "call me Gwen. Everyone does."

"I couldn't," Catherine replies quickly.

"Please, I insist. No one, except maybe Geoffrey on the day of my coronation, and other kings and queens who visit Camelot, call me by something so formal. Gwen will do just fine."

"If you're sure," Catherine says.

"I am," Gwen says with a warm smile. Catherine relaxes then, looks to Merlin, who smiles encouragingly at her. _He was right_, she thinks. She smiles. Looks at the King and Queen together. _I think I will like it here. _

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A few days later, Merlin passes Catherine on the way to the royal chambers.

"Hello, Catherine."

"Good morning, Merlin," Catherine says pleasantly. "How are you?"

"Doing well, thanks. How's it going with Gwen and Arthur?"

"Really well," Catherine replies, a smile in her voice.

"Gwen's great, isn't she?"

"She is," Catherine agrees. "She's made my first few days quite comfortable here."

"Good."

"She misses Leeda a lot, though, doesn't she?" Catherine voice quiets when she says this, and Merlin stops walking to look at her. Catherine stops walking too.

"Yes, she does," Merlin says, his voice full of care. "What makes you say that?"

"Her facial expressions sometimes...she looks...wistful, or like she's remembering something."

"She'll get used to you being here. You're a wonderful girl, Catherine, from what I've seen so far. Don't try to compare yourself to Leeda in that way."

"Leeda and I were good friends, you know."

"Were you? I'm sure Gwen would love to know that."

"Really? I was waiting to bring it up. I wasn't sure..."

"Hearing that you and Leeda grew up together would be a comfort to her, I think."

"Thank you, Merlin, for saying that."

"Anytime," he replies, smiling at her. "Now, I'd better get back to-

"Merlin!" Arthur's voice carries across the castle.

"That's my cue," Merlin says good-naturedly. "See you soon?"

"I'm sure I will," Catherine replies, and she and Merlin go their separate ways.

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About a week later, Merlin and Catherine are in the royal chambers with both Arthur and Gwen.

"Is that all, my lady?"

"Yes, Catherine, that looks great," Gwen says of the now-made bed and swept floor. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Catherine says, and then she leaves the room. Out in the hallway, she sees Percival-she hopes that's his name-he's the one knight she remembered from when Arthur introduced her to his men a few days ago.

"My lady," Percival says, seeing Catherine and approaching her.

"Percival," she says, her heart fluttery in her chest.

"I saw this," Percival says, producing a yellow flower, "the day I first saw you, when you were being introduced by Arthur. Would you like it?"

"Oh yes," Catherine says, a bit breathless. "I would, very much. Thank you. It's beautiful." Percival hands her the flower. At that moment, Merlin exits the royal chambers, sees Catherine and Percival, a flower in Catherine's hand, a smile on Percival's face. This image is so poignant, Merlin feels a pang of sadness, missing Freya more than he ever has. He suddenly feels a little lost, thinking of Gwen and Arthur, so happy and in love, about to be a family of three, and now Catherine and Percival perhaps on the cusp of something just as wonderful. And he wonders why he doesn't have the same thing.

Walking back to his and Gaius' chambers, he thinks of Arthur and Percival, why they have someone and he doesn't. _What makes them so different from me? _he wonders. And then, looking in the mirror, it comes to him: He needs muscles.

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"Where is he?" Arthur asks, frustration in his voice, as it should be. He's waited a half an hour for his servant, and no sign of Merlin at all. And Merlin's never late. Never.

"I'm sure he has a good reason for being late," Gwen offers, talking to him from where she stands as Catherine buttons the last buttons on her blue dress.

"There'd better be," Arthur snaps quietly. He goes to Gwen where she's gathering papers for a meeting later, puts a hand on her arm so that turns around to look at him. "If you need anything," he starts, his voice considerably more gentle, "send for me. I'll be out on the training ground, after I find Merlin, of course."

"I'll be fine," Gwen says. "See you later?"

"Soon I hope," Arthur replies, making her smile. He kisses her lightly on the mouth and leaves the room. When he's gone, Gwen and Catherine turn to each other and smile.

"It's just like Merlin said my first day," Catherine says. "You _are _in a whole other league than Merlin."

"Am I?"

"I'm sorry, my lady, I don't mean to make fun, but...it's just amusing to see how Arthur treats you compared with how he treats Merlin."

"Don't worry," Gwen says. "I think it's funny, too. And charming."

"That too," Catherine says.

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Arriving at Merlin and Gaius' chambers, Arthur barges in after knocking once.

"Sire, what-

Gaius starts to ask, but Arthur beats him to it.

"Where's Merlin?"

"Why, he's-

"Right here," Merlin calls, and comes down from his room, transformed. Gone is the scrawny young man from yesterday, replaced by a brawny, muscled guy.

"Merlin," Arthur sputters. "What...what did you _do_?"

"Why, nothing Sire," Merlin answers cheerfully.

"But you're all...different. You have...muscles."

"I know, isn't it amazing?"

"Yes," Arthur sys, dumbfounded. "Amazing."

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"Come on, Merlin!" Arthur yells. They are out on the training ground, doing target practice. Merlin, as always, is the target. "Put your back into it! You do have muscles now, you know."

"I know, Sire. Sorry, Sire," Merlin says. And with that, he puts his newfound strength to the test. Merlin runs so quickly and handles the heavy wooden target with such ease that Arthur knows something is amiss. Still, he humors Merlin, not saying anything about it. It'll all come out in the open soon enough.

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Later that evening, supper takes place in the formal dining room-the first night in a long while that Arthur and Gwen haven't taken their supper in their chambers. The knights are there, along with Arthur, Gwen, Merlin, and Catherine. The two servants stand aside the King and Queen, pouring water into their goblets. Across the table, a flicker of a moment passes between Catherine and Percival. So much like Arthur and Gwen all those years ago! Merlin sees this, though, and jealously flares within him. At that instant, Merlin casts a spell on Percival, making the chair collapse beneath him. And in the next moment, Catherine rushes over to help him.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, fine," Percival answers, smiling, getting up. "Thanks to you." The two stand facing one another, holding hands. Merlin sighs. His plan totally backfired.

"Merlin!" Arthur exclaims then. "What is going on with you today?" The King stands, goes over to where Percival is, standing, holding hands with Catherine, lost in the moment with her, while Merlin stands aside, glowering at their apparent happiness. "First you're late for work, then target practice goes especially well, and now this. The last time this happened I had Cedrick to assist me. Will I have to call on him again?"

"Oh, no, no," Merlin replies quickly, Ross-Geller style.

"Besides, you can't, Sire. He's dead."

"I know that," Arthur snaps. "Are you mocking me? Because if you are-

"I'll be better tomorrow, Sire, I swear," Merlin says absentmindedly.

"Funny you should mention tomorrow, Merlin, because it's a terrific segway into what I was going to say next."

"And what is that, Sire?"

"You'll see once everyone is situated again," Arthur replies, and everyone goes back to their respective places around the table. "Now, as I started to say," Arthur says, throwing a glaring look at Merlin, making Gwen hide a smile, "tomorrow we're going to have a tournament, throwing lances."

Excitement goes around the table, everyone exclaiming over the announcement.

"May I enter the competition?" Merlin asks, and everyone burst out laughing. "I'm serious!" He exclaims after a few seconds.

"Sure, Merlin, be my guest," Arthur says, laughter in his voice. "You do have muscles now, and all."

Merlin smiles, satisfied, folds his arms across his chest. _That's right_, he thinks. _I do have muscles, and I'm going to use them tomorrow and be brilliant. Surely I'll find love that way. I've just go to. _

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And so, the next day, the tournament is held, starting right away in the morning. Everyone in Camelot is there, the townspeople clamoring for a good seat in the stands, Gwen and Catherine up in the royal stands, and Arthur, Merlin, and the other competitors in the tents, preparing.

"Today, we will have a tournament," Gwen announces, standing, a hush falling over the crowd at her words. "A tournament of the throwing of the rounds, one final winner per match. Let their be fairness here today, as well as good sportsmanship and competition. Let the tournament commence!" And with that, the crowd claps and exclaims in excitement, looking toward the ring at the first two competitors, Arthur and one of his knights. The King wins the three rounds fairy easily, remaining fair, not humiliating his fellow knight in any way. At the end of the match, Arthur claps the man on the shoulder in friendly affection, blows a kiss to Gwen much to the delight of both her and the crowd, and exits the ring to go sit with his wife and Catherine.

Next, Percival and Sir Leo go at it. Before their match begins, though, Percival says, "I hereby dedicate these three rounds of competition to Gwaine. As many of you know, he is still very much mourning the loss of Leeda, the Queen's former maid, but he loved a good tournament as much as any knight. To my friend, to my fellow knight, and fellow citizen of Camelot, to Gwaine!"

"To Gwaine!" The crowd echoes, and then heads are bowed in a moment of silence before the competition is started. Arthur holds Gwen's hand during the silence, but releases it and smiles at her when the competition starts once more. She smiles back at him and his heart feels glad.

Percival and Leon duke it out for the whole three matches, each one gaining an equal amount of points and equal bursts of cheering from the crowd. At the end of three matches, a tie is declared, so a fourth match of sudden death is held to decide the final winner. In the end, Sir Leon wins the match, and, like Arthur, he did so without humiliation and a clap on Percival's shoulder in knightly affection.

The tournament continues for the rest of the day, drawing much excitement from the crowd, with a break for lunch in between, held in the formal dining room. Arthur is glad to get Gwen out of the sun, but she looks happy and content, so she must feel OK. _Hopefully her morning sickness is finally clearing_, he thinks.

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The last match of the day ends up being Merlin and another Camelot knight, a young rookie candidate who has just joined Arthur's army. Merlin heads into the ring feeling confident with his new-fangled muscles, making eyes at some pretty women in the crowd, who smile at him for a few seconds, amused, but for the most part ignore him, much to his disappointment. _Let them look away_, he thinks. _Wait 'til they see me in competition. They they'll really have something to see. _

And so, the competition begins. Merlin uses his muscles to throw the lance several feet further than that of the other knight, drawing surprised faces and exclamations from the crowd. Merlin happily turns to the women from before, who are now looking at him, just as he wishes. _Perfect_, he thinks. _My plan is working out great! _

At one point, though, he chucks the lance with such force that it lands way outside the ring, forcing Arthur to come down from the royal stands, and say, "All right, Merlin, that's enough!"

At that, the whole competition stops. A hush falls over everyone, including Gwen and Catherine, who turn to one another, surprise on their faces. Without saying anything else, Arthur takes Merlin's arm, drags him out of the ring and into one of the tents. Arthur motions to Gwen, who gets up and follows him, leaving Sir Leon to handle the crowd.

When they are in the tents, Merlin continues the conversation as if Arthur hadn't interrupted it by dragging him away. "What do you mean, Sire?" Merlin tries to stay nonchalant, but the look on his face says, _oh no. I went a little too far with that one. A little too far with that one indeed. _

"You're using magic, that's what I mean!" Arthur yells.

"What? How did you ever-?"

"Please," Arthur says, bored. "You are your regular self one day, then come downstairs the next with muscles as big as your head? You weren't fooling anyone, Merlin, believe me. I just let you run with it. But that's really not the problem, although I would've expected a bit more finesse on your part."

"So what is the problem? Magic is allowed now in Camelot, I thought-

"It may be getting there, but no way is the use of magic fully instated in Camelot; regardless of any circumstances, nothing-_nothing_-gives you the right to use it to your own means. You of all people, Merlin, should know this! You've been telling me all this time that it depends on the person behind the spell that declares magic good or bad, and now you go and use it to gain false strength to win competition! What could possibly make you do such a thing?"

"Love," Merlin answers simply, quietly.

"Love? Whatever do you mean?" Arthur thinks for a second and then says with narrowed eyes, "you're not enchanted, are you?"

"No," Merlin answers.

"What, then?" Arthur asks. "What does love have to do with you suddenly having muscles and wanting to enter the lance competition? You usually can't stand these events."

"It worked for you, didn't it?" Merlin exclaims now. "And Percival!"

"What did? Muscles and winning?"

"Yes!"

"Merlin, come on," Arthur says. "I know even _you_ have more sense than _that_."

"But I don't have strength, you do. I don't have anyone to care about, you do. You have Gwen."

"Guinevere did not fall in love with me because of my strength or first-place ribbons, Merlin," Arthur says, glancing at his wife, smiling at her; Gwen smiles back. "Guinevere fell for me because she saw past all that, because she sees who I am on the inside, as a person, who I really am." Merlin looks to Gwen, who smiles again, nods encouragingly. "This, Merlin," Arthur says now, gesturing to his servant's enlarged frame and lance, "this is not who you are. No girl is ever going to fall for you if you act like someone you're not. Be your true self, like yourself, have confidence; only then will you have the ability to care for someone else."

"And undo this spell, will you?" Arthur says, sounding like his old self, snapping at Merlin. "You look ridiculous."

"Yes, Sire," Merlin says, smiling, feeling everything slip back to normal as his master's words sink in. "Of course."

"And I'm assuming you'll be withdrawing from the competition?" Arthur asks after he sees Merlin shrink back to his normal size.

"Yes, Sire," Merlin says, grinning. "You know I don't stand a chance at winning."

"And if it's the love thing you'e worried about, don't be," Arthur says after a minute. "Someone will like you for you, won't they, Guinevere?"

"Oh, of course," Gwen says, smiling. "Merlin, you are one of the kindest, smartest people I know, and the greatest friend I know, too. Some girl is going to see that, too, and fall madly in love with you someday, I know it,"

"Thank you, my lady," Merlin says, and with that, the three of them-Arthur, Gwen, and Merlin-exit the tent and go back to the competition to declare the knight in Merlin's round the winner. The smile on the boy's face makes Merlin glad, glad to be truthful, glad to have heard Arthur and Gwen's words, and glad to be who he is. Freya fell for him, didn't she? Just as he fell in love with her. _I _will _find love again someday_. _I know it. _


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey, lovely readers! Thanks for being patient with me. I've been settling in to not settling in as I've started to study abroad (did that sentence make any sense?). It's been an interesting experience thus far. I saw Beatrix Potter's house, the Bronte Parsonage, and, guys, The Pencil Museum! You are missing out if you've never been there! Personalized pencils? Oh, yeah, guys. It was the coolest. Seriously :) And, the Wordsworth Center. There are no words to describe how much awesomeness is at that place. The Daffodil poem (aka: I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud)? Perfection. I was a lit nerd when I was there, guys, totally, but in the best way possible. Who are your guys' favorite poets? **

**Through all this excitement, though, Arthur and Gwen have remained close with me (as have Troy and Brie, of course; I live vicariously through them practically every minute of the day) and now that I have internet for about another day, I decided to update. I hope you guys like chapter 17. Thanks for your positive reviews on chapter 16. I loved that chapter too. **

**Thanks as always for reading; you guys are the best. Enjoy chapter 17! And as always, any study abroad advice is welcome! Your encouragement has meant the world to me. **

**And, oh yeah, disclaimer: still don't own Merlin-though I do own the kingdom of Mercia, because I just made it up-nor does Bradley know of my existence. (I am, now, though, on the same continent as him! How exciting is that?) **

Arthur and Guinevere: A Love Which Brings Light

Chapter 17

Two weeks after the lance tournament, Arthur receives a letter. It states he is requested to help out a neighboring kingdom, Mercia, as they rebuild, searching for stability and peace after a battle tore them apart, temporarily injuring their king and throwing the kingdom into a slight panic. They feel weak, they say, requesting help, but they know that if they are to ask anyone, Arthur and his men are the ones for the job.

He reads the letter feeling pleased. He is glad to be of service to a mighty kingdom such as Mercia, proud they were man enough to ask for assistance, and pleased that they think highly of Camelot enough to request them specifically. Only one thought looms in his mind, one thought that makes him hesitate: _Guinevere_. Leaving her was always hard. It was especially difficult in long pilgrimages such as these-Mercia had asked him and his men to stay for a month-but with Guinevere in her condition it seemed rather impossible. He _couldn't_ leave her, he thought. He didn't even _want to_. He liked to be around her, talk with her, eat meals with her. She was his favorite person, just as he was her favorite person. He knew, though, that this was an important mission he was called upon, and he wanted to fulfill it. He wished he could do both.

When he told Guinevere about the letter-she was the first person he told, she was the first person he told anything to-she'd laughed, smiled at him, and said, "Relax. I'm fine, really."

When he failed to look convinced, she'd wrapped her arms around his waist, leaned in and kissed him lightly on the mouth. "My morning sickness has all but passed. Don't worry so much."

"That, Guinevere, is an impossible request," Arthur replied in a flat voice, making her smile. "I'm always going to worry about you."

"I know. I know that. And I love you for it, really, I do, but the people of Mercia need you. They asked for you. You've got to go. If I could, I'd go with, too. Even I wasn't in my condition, there'd be plenty to do around Camelot, as there always is. Please, try to think of this under normal circumstances."

He considers her, her words, her face. Finally he says, "if you don't feel right about this, you'll tell me?"

"Of course," she had said. "Now, go and respond, say you'll come."

"You just might be turning me into a better person, you know that?"

"I know," she says playfully, and then she takes his hand, leads him over to the table, where he sits down to write a letter back to Mercia, saying he would be more than happy to help out.

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It is a gorgeous fall day, bright and clear and sunny, two days after Arthur decides to help Merica. Gwen and Catherine decide to take a walk down to the market, to meet with the people and buy a few things. It is more for Gwen's enjoyment than anything else, although Arthur and Merlin have reassured her countless times that the people love seeing her just as much as she loves seeing them. It still doesn't seem quite fair to her, that she is showered with so much praise. She does not feel worthy of such admiration. All she did was get married. She merely is who she is. Who she is now happens to be the Queen of Camelot, but she still does not feel that that gives the people the right to worship her as they do. When she wanted to be Arthur's Queen all those years ago, she had merely wanted to be his. Being queen was just part of loving him. She had stepped up the challenge beautifully, everyone said so, she just didn't believe it quite yet.

"Have everything?" Catherine asks.

"Yes," Gwen replies, looking around the empty room of the royal chambers-Arthur is with Merlin and the knights on the training ground, as usual-checking to make she sure has her money in hand. "All set."

Gwen and Catherine then depart from the room, closing the door behind them. A flank of guards walks behind the two women, also as usual-it had taken months for Gwen to become used to that, them following her everywhere. Now, she was grateful for it, although it did make her feel a bit uncomfortable when in the market. _Meeting with the people shouldn't have to feel so formal_, she thought. Still, when they arrived in the town square, Gwen's warm smile left the people comfortable almost immediately. She was entirely unaware at how much ease and happiness a sighting of her brought them. She was one of them, she understood them, she still felt like one of them most days. It had taken months for her to let go of her servant girl ways; Sefa had to force her to not help out with everything in the first few months of her newly appointed Queen position, and even now she negated to her old ways, but that just made her all the more admirable, not that Gwen believed any of that.

"How are you doing this afternoon, my lady?" A kind women named Martha inquires, jolting Gwen from thought. "Lovely day, isn't it?"

"It is indeed, Martha," Gwen replies. "And I'm fine, thanks for asking. I trust you're doing well?"

"Oh, yes, as well as can be expected." Martha smiles. "Husband and the children to keep me busy."

"Yes, I'm sure they do," Gwen says, laughing, and then they move along a little further down the street after bidding Martha a good afternoon and evening.

Gwen and Catherine have a great time in the market-looking at the things in the shops, talking with people, enjoying the sunshine and nice weather. All is going well. Then, all of the sudden, Gwen starts to feel funny. She starts rolling on the balls of her feet, her vision goes black, and the scarf she's holding flutters to the ground as she tumbles into a black oblivion.

Catherine steps back, startled, as a guard catches Gwen easily before she hits the ground, the Queen's thin frame limp in his arms.

"Tell Arthur!" the guard yells. "Hurry!"

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It is a regular day on the training ground for Arthur. Teaching new knights, swearing in rookie candidates, and typical target practice. That means, for Merlin everything is typical too.

"Go and get some more lances from the castle, would you, Merlin?" Arthur shouts.

"Yes, Sire," Merlin answers and he's off. He is walking towards the citadel when a guard, Olaf, runs up to him, frantic.

"Olaf," Merlin says. "What's wrong?"

"It's the Queen, Merlin. She's fainted!"

Merlin looks over the man's shoulder to see a guard carrying Gwen, with Catherine and the other guards following behind, the group quickly heading towards Gaius' chambers.

"You've got to tell Arthur," Olaf says.

"Of course. We'll meet you in Gaius' chambers!" Merlin yells, his back turned, as he runs to the King.

Approaching him, he's out of breath, mostly because of all the worry. "Arthur." Merlin's tone is so serious that for once Arthur doesn't question it. "It's Gwen. She's-

Merlin doesn't even get to finish his sentence before Arthur bolts for the castle, running for Gaius' chambers.

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When he gets there, Arthur strides into the physician's chambers, not caring for a second that he's making a scene. The horror that comes to the King's face at the sight of his wife makes Gaius put a hand on his arm.

"She collapsed in the market. She'll come to any second now," Gaus reassures him in a soft voice.

Arthur grabs her hand anyway, Gwen's hand lifeless in his own hand. Merlin runs in a second later, out of breath certainly now from having run all the way here. The look on Arthur's face says everything, so he doesn't ask. Wordlessly he joins Gaius and Arthur around the examination table, as they peer at Gwen, willing her to awaken. When she does, she is confused. Her eyelids flutter open, and she feels something heavy in her right hand. Once her vision clears, she looks to see it is Arthur's hand, holding hers. She feels around, unsure, not feeling her bed or the rocking chair in their room but hard wood. That makes her panic.

"What happened?" she tries to ask, but no words come out. "Arthur?" she tries next, trying to lift her head.

"I'm here, Guinevere," Arthur replies quietly, calmly. The tone of his voice is so comforting she wants to cry. "What happened?" she tries asking again, and this time the words come out, albeit slowly.

"You collapsed in the market. A guard caught you before you hit the ground and brought you here, to Gaius' chambers," Arthur answers, his voice still quiet and calm.

"But, how-?" Gwen asks now. She tries to sit up, but when she lifts her head everything sways. She puts a hand to her head and lays down again. Gaius then helps her sit up first giving her a pill he crushed and put in water. Once she had taken a few sips of the drink, the physician doesn't have to direct Arthur and Merlin into helping Gwen sit up, and they do so slowly, keeping a hand on her arm on either side of her until she feels stable enough to sit up on her own, Arthur still carefully guarding her after that. Once she is more settled, still taking sips of water, Gaius asks: "Gwen, what have you eaten today?"

Gwen thinks for a moment, answers quietly, picking her words as she goes along. "I had breakfast at about seven, as usual, then lunch, too, around noon as usual, although that was a couple of hours ago now..." Her voice trials off and she looks guilty, as though she's preparing for Gaius to tell her she's done something wrong.

"The baby takes what you give, remember," Gaius reminders her gently. "I believe your fainting incident occurred because of lack of food, also a bit of dehydration from being so out in the sun."

"What can I do? How do I make sure this does not occur again?"

"There's no need to be so worried, Gwen, you didn't do anything wrong," Gaius says reassuringly, putting a hand on her arm. "It is quite common for women to faint during pregnancy. What you can do, though," he says, looking at her open face, her eyes wide with worry, still, "is eat a bit more throughout the day. A few small things between meals, perhaps? Some bread, fruit, meat, maybe. That would make sure you're giving the baby everything you can. And, of course, keep drinking plenty of water."

"Of course," Gwen says, nodding dutifully.

"And what of right now, Gaius?" Arthur asks. "What can I do for Guinevere?"

"For the remainder of the day, it being around three o'clock, I suggest rest."

"I'm fine, really," Gwen immediately says, but Gaius politely dismisses her comment by saying, "simply take it easy for the rest of the afternoon and evening. There's not so long until supper, you can sleep then-take this sleeping draft-and then rest for the evening until bed. I'll come tomorrow to see how you are, and if you are fairing well, you may resume your normal activities."

Gwen wishes to protest again but doesn't. She nods weight of what happen finds her and it makes her feel the tiniest bit afraid. She looks to make sure Arthur's hand is still holding hers. it is.

"Thank you," her husband says now, which Gaius waves off in friendly affection. When Gwen tries to say the same the words come out so quietly she can barely hear them. Arthur then helps to ease her off the wooden examination table, and helps to keep her upright by holding onto her upper arm when she staggers for a few steps after her feet hit the floor again. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders protectively, Arthur steers her into the hallway, where she slumps against him and lets him lead her back to their chambers.


End file.
